Description
A Stunning Centerpiece for Fish-Only Tanks
Instantly recognizable and undeniably beautiful, the Chocolate Chip Starfish is one of the most iconic stars in the marine world. Its plump, beige body is adorned with dark brown to black tubercles that look exactly like chocolate chips, giving it a whimsical, cookie-like appearance that has made it a long-time favorite. This slow-moving, deliberate creature glides across the sandbed and rockwork, making for a fascinating and visually striking centerpiece.
The Chocolate Chip Starfish is incredibly hardy and easy to care for, making it an excellent choice for beginner and experienced hobbyists alike who have the right type of aquarium. Its unique look and robust nature make it a perfect, engaging invertebrate for any non-reef system.
Crucial Compatibility Warning: NOT REEF-SAFE
Before adding this animal to your cart, please read the following carefully:
- The Chocolate Chip Starfish is NOT REEF-SAFE. It is an opportunistic predator.
- It will actively eat corals (both soft and stony), anemones, sponges, clams, tube worms, and other slow-moving invertebrates.
- This starfish is strictly for Fish-Only (FO) or Fish-Only-With-Live-Rock (FOWLR) aquariums where it will not have access to a reef environment.
Why It's a FOWLR Favorite:
- Iconic Appearance: Its classic "chocolate chip" look is beautiful, unique, and a guaranteed conversation starter.
- Extremely Hardy: One of the most durable sea stars available, it is very forgiving of minor fluctuations and adapts well to stable FOWLR systems.
- Great "Centerpiece" Invertebrate: In a fish-only tank, it provides the beauty and interest of an invertebrate without the risk to corals.
- Easy to Feed: It is not a picky eater and will readily accept a variety of meaty foods.
Care & Specifications
Providing the correct environment and diet is key to the long-term health of your Chocolate Chip Starfish.
Tank Requirements:
- Minimum Tank Size: 30 Gallons or larger.
- Substrate: A soft, sandy substrate of at least 1-2 inches is highly recommended. This protects their delicate tube feet as they glide across the bottom.
- System Maturity: Best introduced into a fully cycled and stable aquarium.
Feeding: The Chocolate Chip Starfish is an active carnivore and scavenger that requires regular, direct feeding to thrive.
- Diet: Carnivore.
- Recommended Foods: Offer small, chopped pieces of meaty marine foods such as raw shrimp, squid, clams, or silversides.
- Feeding Method: Use feeding tongs to place a piece of food on the substrate near the starfish. It will slowly move over the food and evert its stomach to digest it externally. Feed every 2-3 days.
Water Parameters:
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Temperature: 72−78°F (22−25.5°C)
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Specific Gravity: 1.023−1.025
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pH: 8.1−8.4
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Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate: As close to 0 ppm as possible. They are sensitive to poor water quality.
Compatibility:
- Tank Type: Fish-Only (FO) or Fish-Only-With-Live-Rock (FOWLR) systems ONLY.
- Temperament: Peaceful towards fish it cannot eat.
- Tank Mates: Keep with peaceful or semi-aggressive fish that are too large to be seen as prey. Avoid housing with large Triggerfish, Pufferfish, or Harlequin Shrimp, which are known predators of starfish.
- Invertebrates: WILL EAT all corals, anemones, clams, sponges, and most other ornamental invertebrates.
Acclimation: IMPORTANT: Like all echinoderms, this starfish is extremely sensitive to changes in water parameters, especially salinity. Slow drip acclimation over a period of at least 60-90 minutes is mandatory for survival.
