Future plans for starfish tank

[Grumpy_Marine]

I am just posting this so i can get some ideas or so that i can get input on what items i would need to accomplish a tank to house starfish. I don't want a big tank just a small one that would have a little coral, sand and 1-2 starfish in it. I have not had a SW tank in the past so i am dumb to the ways of this setup. I read earlier that bigger is easier to maintain, i already have 60 gallon FW tank, i am looking at a small SW aquarium. What is the smallest size safe and doable for a tank with what i am thinking? The concept is that i could have it be a desk tank or something that sits and is small yet attractive.

 

[Lorna]

Well it depends on what kind of starfish you are going to attempt as they are as varied as their diets. Most starfish though are best left in the ocean as their longevity in captivity is dismal. Sand sifting stars need a huge footprint to sustain their huge appetite and will decimate most sandbeds and then die buried somewhere pretty quickly. Linkia starfish have a poor record at best and others such as chocolate chips etc are not reef safe. Sooooo you may want to rethink your plans.

 

[TRe]

plus they usually need bigger than a "desktop" size tank ..... a desktop size tank is definitly doable IMO just not with starfish.. maybe a pistol shrimp/goby pair?

 

[Grumpy_Marine]

I will take a look into shrimp and such, i just don't want to do SW fish yet, i think i will do invertebrate tank or something, just know i always liked the starfish growing up they are cool and the LFS had one that was all over the window of their tank, just gathering ideas right now this tank is a good 12 months away as i am going to iraq so no time to start this project yet.

 

[TRe]

good luck in iraq

 

[Lotus]

I think shrimp or other very small inverts with corals would make a nice desktop tank.

Unfortunately, most of the starfish and brittle stars need really large tanks (100g), and even then, some species just won't make it in captivity.

 

[Grumpy_Marine]

Yea i was reading last night, if i did go with star fish i would get chocolate chip, but no coral or reef. When i stated coral i didn't mean the reef i meant the rock stuff. I guess i should say live rock i don't know. But i have lots of reading to do as SW is picky stuff, i think first i will determine tank size and equipment needs to hold SW then pick what to put in it.

 

[saltwater4life]

how big of a desktop tank are you looking for 5.5g, 10g, 120g (won't have much room to use the desk but hey) If i was setting up a small tank i would go with a shrimp/goby pair, shrimp and other inverts or a mantis shrimp (you could keep corals with any of those depending on what "other inverts")

 

[Grumpy_Marine]

I am thinking 20 gallon long tank for the setup, as it will fit on the wall in dining room next to my FW tank. So the desktop is out of picture now.

i am leaning more towards shrimp tank or something, as it seems more doable. i will have to keep gathering intel on subject.

Live rock, live sand, some shrimps and other inverts. what works good with shrimp and goby pair tanks?