defcon11

Joined today, nice site. Got a chocolate chip starfish, 29 gal, and he's kind of happy. The pH is around 8.3-8.4 is that too high, or should it be lower? The temp is 80 and ammonia, NH3, Nh4 are at 0.0. Also salinity is running about 1.023-1.024 is that too high?
Also, think I found a tiny baby starfish. Must be 1-2mm across, has a round center and three arms. Do I have to feed it anything or will it just be able to live off the live rock? Also have eibli angel, guess the little guy has to look out for him huh? Thanks.

sirdarksol

Unsure about the chemistry. One of the Saltwater gurus will likely be around soon to answer some of those questions. I do know that pH is really a pain to mess with, and usually not worth the trouble.

As far as the small "star" (unsure if that's what it is) goes, if it's lived this long, it will likely continue to survive off of the live rock.
It looks like Eibli Angels tend to feed on algae, so the tiny critter is probably pretty safe.
Within the next few months, you'll likely be seeing other new critters "appearing" that have been hiding (often in a larval or other small form) in the live rock.

Oil_Fan

Welcome to Fishlore, defcon!!

Salinity is fine. Ph is dead on. Temp maybe a touch too high but nothing major.

It's rest that I can't answer. I've never had a star but I would think it will just feed off whatever it can find.

defcon11

Chocolate chips starfish is doing much better, and have discovered another small sea star. I think I have identified them as a type of serpent sea star. Pretty cool. I have another question though. My coral banded shrimp molted. Should I use an iodine supplement, and if so will it hurt the starfish? Thanks everyone.

sirdarksol

A small amount of iodine shouldn't hurt any sea critter, as it is in nearly every form of ocean food.
If the shrimp will eat nori or shrimp pellets (or any fish food made with high concentrations of kelp or spirulina), you wouldn't need to supplement iodine. Just periodically feed it one of these (target feed with a pair of forceps), and it will get the iodine it needs.

kloseo

I occasionally target feed my two chocolate chip starfish shrimp pellets and small amounts of algae. My banded shrimp molted last week as well dont be surprised if upon molting it loses a claw. I add purple up as a calcium and iodine treatment for my shrimp and it has not affected my starfish

Matt

Starfish graze algae and lots of other nutrients of of your live rock so if u have lots of live rock you will be fine.

Can you post some pics?

From Matt

Welcome To FishLore

nemo addict

if chocolates get hungry they eat anything inc inverts and small fish if it can catch them ,,

Matt

Yer i have heard that Nemo. Its quite interesting yet worrying if it gets hungry.

From Matt

nemo addict

ohhh and they will also eat corals too i notice you have a mushroom that should be ok as they tend to eat polyps