Related FAQs: Sea Stars 1, Sea Stars 2, Sea Stars 3, Sea Stars 4, Sea Stars 5, Brittle Stars, Seastar ID 1, Seastar ID 2, Seastar ID 5, Seastar ID 6 & Seastar Selection, Seastar Compatibility, Seastar Behavior, Seastar Systems, Seastar Feeding, Seastar Reproduction, Seastar Disease, Seastar Disease 2, Seastar Disease 3, Star Disease 4, Star Disease 5, & Asterina Stars, Chocolate Chip Stars, Crown of Thorns Stars, Fromia Stars, Linckia Stars, Linckia Stars 2, Sand-Sifting Stars, Related Articles: Echinoderms, An Introduction to the Echinoderms: The Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers and More... By James W. Fatherree, M.Sc. Brittle Stars, Asterina Stars, Crown of Thorns Seastars, Marine Scavengers, Sea Stars, Class Asteroidea part 6 of 11 To: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11

By Bob Fenner

Not So Spiffy Choices, But Often Seen:

Much less desirable, but commonly offered and attractive are the "knobbed" Sea Stars, Family Oreasteridae of the genera Protoreastor, Pentaster and Pentaceastor. They are distinguished by having dull spines, bumps or knobbles on their dorsal surfaces, with these often seen in colors that contrast with their overall body pigmentation. Sold under names like Red-Knobbed, Chocolate Chip, and other labels, these species are hardy but aggressive feeders, more than happy to mount and consume sessile clams, oysters and all manner of corals, soft and stony.

Protoreastor lincki African or Horned Sea Star An opportunistic omnivore of other invertebrates that can literally clean sweep an aquarium of sedentary life. Aq. pic.

Bigger PIX: The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Another "Knobby" species, the Chocolate Chip Star, Protoreastor nodosus at a wholesalers and close up in N. Sulawesi. An opportunistic omnivore on other invertebrates. Found widely throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. Select for smaller 2-3 inch specimens and keep them well fed; though rarely lives for long in captivity.

Bigger PIX: The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Family Oreastridae: "Plump" stars. Have large, domed discs with short or no arms at all. Not easily kept... i.e. rarely live in captivity.

Another typical offering, the "Doughboy" Sea Star, Choriaster granulatus, Lutken 1869, is a big, bulky Indo-Pacific asteroid that scavenges in reef shallows. It should only be employed in systems of hundreds of gallons size with corals that can be spared... as it is a coral eater.

Bigger PIX: The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Another typical offering, the "Doughboy" Sea Star, Choriaster granulatus, Lutken 1869, is a big, bulky Indo-Pacific asteroid that scavenges in reef shallows. It should only be employed in systems of hundreds of gallons size with corals that can be spared... as it is a coral eater.

To: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11