basket star update

cmar

AC Members
May 18, 2007
200
0
0
well, i recently aquired a basket starfish hitchhiker, and have looked all over, and talked to all the sw store owners in my area. it seems that very little is known about these guys, some say they're cold water, some say not. although everyone agrees that they don't do well, due to eventual starvation. it's been about 3 wks, and this guy is doing great. if you've never seen one, they are very fascinating to watch! i'm hoping to post pics soon, but if anyone out there knows anything about them, please holler!
 
Maybe this site will help.... it has some husbandry tips.

http://www.centralpets.com/animals/fish/saltwater_inverts/swi1857.html

Animal Description: The Basket Star is an extraordinary looking invertebrate. Although notoriously hard to care for, some people find that Basket Stars can survive, so long as certain basic requirements are met.
During the day, most Basket Stars remain in dim hiding areas with their tentacles curled closely inward. At night, they unfurl these tentacles, forming a large flattened basket shaped "net" facing a water current, to filter food particles from their surroundings. Usually they feed on plankton or microorganisms. These items are caught in the arms by minute hooks positioned on their surface. In addition, the arms wrap about the particle. Due to their feeding method, Basket Stars have not been easy to keep in captivity. However, through the use of seahorse feeding mechanisms, Basket Stars may be allowed to feed naturally. The Basket Star should be placed among some items that it can anchor itself to with its arms fully extended. A water current should flow toward the Basket Star, and you will use this current to help feed the sea Star. Once a Basket Star has positioned itself in an area where conditions are correct, it will probably not move about the tank. Many stay in one place for many months.
The Basket Star has very thin, long tentacles that may appear almost similar to vines. These tentacles can reach lengths of 20 inches (51 centimeters). The basic body structure is supported by calcareous spicules that form an endoskeleton.
Basket Stars are found in the Caribbean. They are considered by many to be extremely difficult to keep in captivity; however, some people have had success maintaining Basket Stars.

dkbluepx.gif
Specific Care Information: Relative Care Ease: Difficult All Basket Stars should be kept in large, established, aquariums. This helps to provide stability of water conditions as well as a better opportunity for a food source. The animal should be allowed enough space to fully stretch out its arms. It should also be offered something to anchor itself to. Basket Stars will normally do well under fluorescent lighting, and generally are not active during the day. They prefer a temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius) and a specific gravity of about 1.025. Basket Stars are quite sensitive to changes in the salinity of their aquariums, and this value should be kept stable at all times. Trace elements like iodine, strontium, and calcium should remain at good levels. Protein skimmers should be used to remove dissolved organic material which could compromise water quality. However, Basket Stars seem fairly tolerant of moderate nitrate levels. Basket Stars generally do quite well in aquariums with invertebrates like seahorses, which have similar feeding habits. Basket Stars are not aggressive and are considered to be reef safe. To keep a Basket Star, be sure that it is placed in a light to moderate water flow. They can be fed with commercially available feeding devices designed for seahorses, or you can make something suitable yourself. A plastic cylinder with one open end should be filled with enriched adult brine shrimp. The cylinder should be closed with screen or mesh and placed in the water flow, in such a way that the current will sweep escaping shrimp toward the Basket Star. In established miniature reefs it is often not necessary to feed basket stars since they will catch tiny organisms swimming in the water.
 
Basket Stars (astrophyton muricatum) come from the Carribian but similar species found around the world. They are very efficient feeders but require a good supply of food to thrive. They need larger tanks because their arms can reach over 20 inches long. They are nocturnal and will most likely spread their arms at night which is when you can provide them with liquid feed and only when arms are FULLY extended. They can be very long-lived when cared for properly in aquariums.
 
hey thanks! that was alot more detailed than anything that i could find, yet the basic details were much the same. hope to get a photo up soon...not too good with modern tech!
thanks again!
 
If you can keep it alive you have to let us know what you did. I killed several feather stars and a crinoid. Make sure that you don't touch it those arms come off easy! Oh, and crawl around your tank for a few days before they loose motivation so... creepy.
 
AquariaCentral.com