Starfish split into two halves!

[Dixiechicken82]

Okay so I've read that starfish can regenerate if a part of them is cut off, but I thought if the middle of it was damaged it was done for. Right?
My little star (came home on the rock) has probably tripled in size since we got him and is now bigger than an eraser head and smaller than a dime. One day he was fine and the next day I see two halves! It looks like he was cut straight down the middle! They both go their seperate ways on the rock! Did he do this himself? My hermit is very small and I doubt my emerald crab would do. Since the halves are still moving around, they must be alive. I am just curious as to what happened. Does anyone have info on this? Will he keep multiplying?

 

[Gealcath]

Depends on the type of star. The larger stars dont tend to produce in captivity very well, the smaller hitchiker stars that are aout teh size of a dime often tend to split now and then.


As far as one being cut in half, As along as at least 1 Arm and 20% of the crown is intact its possible for it regenerate its missing half.

 

[Dixiechicken82]

Well I say "cut in half" b/c it looks like a clean "cut" seemingly down the middle. I wasn't aware they did this on there own, but couldn't imagine one of it's neighbors chopping him in two! Thanks Gealcath.