Anybody have Orange/Red Linka Stars in their reefs?

[falconut]

I have been considering adding one to my reef tank. I know the Blue Linkas are supposed to be difficult, but how about the Orange/Red's.

Is anybody currently keeping one in their reef? If so, what size is your tank? How long have you had it?

Thanks

[bluesponge]

I have been through all the critics, and purchased my very own smaller orange/red linkcia star....

started to disinegrate in the tank ;(

But everything else was super healthy...

No food & collected wrong alot of the times... Its sure death....


http://kellnetworking.com/reef/linkiazoom_20051208.jpg

here is a full shot of my tank just to prove that I am not one of those (my tank is perfect, but it is full of alage or whatever)

http://kellnetworking.com/reef/goodsideshot_20051208.jpg

http://kellnetworking.com/reef/target_20051202.jpg

http://kellnetworking.com/reef/firepair_20051208.jpg

[Avi]

I have one and it's thriving well. I wouldn't get one unless you have at least one hundred pounds of live rock and the tank is at least eight to ten months old. Mine has shown a lot of growth and it's healed after being injured at the intake of a powerhead, so I know that they can be kept. But, again, I think it takes a larger tank and it has to be somewhat aged.

[bobbyl]

Got a small five legged one attached to the first piece of coral purchased. Tank is 50g and was up less than two months. It's doing fine and has about 75lbs of rock to crawl on, but spends equal amounts of time on the glass and on the sand. Nitrate between 20 and 40 depending on which test kit is used.

[want2reef]

I've had my Orange Linkia for a couple of months now, (fingers crossed).


Kevin

[Avi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6320362#post6320362 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bobbyl
Got a small five legged one attached to the first piece of coral purchased. Tank is 50g and was up less than two months. It's doing fine and has about 75lbs of rock to crawl on, but spends equal amounts of time on the glass and on the sand. Nitrate between 20 and 40 depending on which test kit is used.

bobbyl, could you tell us how long your starfish has been in the tank now? If you're confident that your starfish is stable and doing well long-term, then it would appear that I spoke out of an excess of caution in terms of the size of the tank that would be most appropriate and the amount of live rock they'd need to survive. I have never actually tried to keep one in a smaller, or newer reef. It's interesting to me that you mention that you have nitrate readings in that range. I have consistent nitrate readings at 25ppm (Salifert) and that level of nitrates hasn't adversely effected my starfish in any observable respect. Incidentally, I also have a purple starfish in the tank with the red/orange one.

[falconut]

I have a 90 gal. tank, 20 gal. sump, 20 gal. refuge & about 120 lbs. LR. About half the LR was transfered from my 44 gal. tank. This setup has been up and running for about 11 months.

I had a Marbled Fromia Sea Star in my 44 gal. for about 1 year, until my Camel Shrimp ate it. I wasn't aware that they ate Star fish until it was too late. They were nasty little buggers!

I didn't know if the Orange/Red Linkas were harder to keep then the Fromia Species?

[bfc reef]

I had 2 in my 90 gallon for a year the grew larger.
When I set up my 300, I added a closed loop, both starfish wound up stuck to the intakes and died.

I would like another, I wont risk with the closed loops.

[cutsupremetrib]

needs to be a well established reef i have one in my 65 gallon reef with plenty of liverock say 150 pounds hes been in there over 9 months and is very healthy

[bearpeidog]

Tagging along - I was about to have a similiar post regarding Blue Linkia. Definately want to hear about the longevity and if orange is more hardy then blues etc.

[MF15]

Interesting I have a crummy tank was infested with hair the rocks are still cooking have also gone BB. But my red/orange Linka is well over a year and a half old and doing fine. He lives under two hair infested rocks I left in the tank while the others are cooking he likes flake food, go figure. Old Mike

[Torghn]

I've never been able to keep one for more than a year.

[rhenie]

I've had one for about 9 months in a 140G. It was one of the first things we added after the damsels and it has done really well. Moves about the tank on glass and rocks too. We have over 100 lbs of LR. It got niped by something on the end of one leg about a month ago, but has healed and seems healthy as ever. It is my favorite tank inhabitant.

Seems like I saw a posting a while back about someone who had their orange linkia split into several new ones in their tank. It was pretty cool.

R

[cutsupremetrib]

as long as the thing in the center doesnt get hurt it can split many many times ( learned that in advanced bio at high school)

[Spartan]

I have had an orange one since Easter. I did a pretty throough RC search before I got one. Basically, no one is sure what linckia really eat. Someone postulated that they eat basterial films off of live rock, but I could find any more substantive data. Anecdotally (and if you go through the posts this is seems correct), the blues have a lower survival rate; most living only a few months. One person reported seeing his linckia eat tiny limpets, but no other corroboration. I have these limpets and have not witnessed any being consumed - and for that matter have not seen it eat anything. Best survival correlates to large reefs. If anyone can add anything, would love to hear.

[SCR]

I've had mine for 10 months and it seems to be getting smaller.

[cutsupremetrib]

my girlfriend got my red/orange one for my b-day aint she great