Class: Asteroidea
Starfish/Sea Stars

The word starfish is a misnomer, as these are of course invertebrate, not fish. However, their star-shaped body lends certain realism to the term. True starfish comprise the Class Asteroidea, and there are about 1600 species. However, only a few are truly suited for the aquarium. They can be found to depths of 20,000 feet. The majority of starfishes, now more properly referred to as sea stars, are carnivorous or omnivorous and can eat small fishes, algae, mollusks and coral polyps. In fact, they don't have to fit their prey into their mouth, as they are capable of expelling their stomach and digesting whatever they are resting upon, such as what the Crown-of-Thorns does to coral polyps.

Mostly nocturnal, these bottom dwelling multi-arm echinoderms are excellent scavengers and some of those mentioned below are extremely easy to maintain, yet some are not recommended for reef systems. A good rule of thumb for reef keepers is to avoid any starfish with knobby backs such as those in the genus Protoreaster. And keep in mind, all starfish are very vulnerable to sudden salinity changes.

Order: Paxillosida

Family Astropectinidae

Genus Astropecten

  • A. andersoni Spiny Starfish
  • A. aranciacus Ochre Hackled Starfish
  • A. bispinosus Slender Starfish
  • A. jonstoni Jonston's Sea Star
  • A. phragmorus Spiny Starfish
  • A. polycanthus Sand Sifting Starfish

    Family Luidiidae

    Luidia

  • L. ciliaris Seven Rayed Starfish
  • L. maculata Seven Rayed Starfish

    Order: Valvatida

    Family Acanthasteridae

    Acanthaster

  • A. planci Crown of Thorns Starfish

    Family Archasteridae

    Archaster

  • A. typicus Common Starfish

    Family Asterinidae

    Asterina

  • A. anomala Fiji Star

    Patiria

  • P. miniata Bat Sea Star

    Family Asteropseidae

    Asteropsis

  • A. carinifera Keeled/Comb Reef Sea Star

    Family Chaetasteridae

    Chaetaster

  • C. longipes Long-armed Sea Star

    Family Goniasteridae

    Hippasteria

  • H. phrygiana

    Family Mithrodiidae

    Mithrodia

  • M. bradleyi Studded Sea Star
  • M. clavigera Nail-armed Sea Star

    Thromidia

  • T. catalai Brown Tipped Sea Star

    Family Ophidiasteridae

    There are still many undescribed species in this family, and to make it even more difficult to tell some of them apart, their colors and color patterns change with age and/or environmental conditions. However, they all appear to be reef safe and good scavengers of detritus, microalgae, small benthic invertebrates and other organic matter.

    Fromia

  • F. elegans Red Star
  • F. ghardaquana Ghardaqa Brittle Star
  • F. indica Red Star
  • F. milleporella Red Star
  • F. monilis Orange / Orange Marble Star
  • F. nodosa Knotted Brittle Star
  • F. polypora Many Pored Star

    Gomophia

  • G. egyptiaca Egyptian Brittle Star
  • G. watsoni Watson's Brittle Star

    Hacelia

  • H. attenuata

    Iconaster

  • I. longimanus Icon Star

    Leiaster

  • L. coriaceus Red-Spot Sea Star
  • L. leachi Leach's Sea Star
  • L. speciosus Velvety Sea Star

    Linckia

  • L. guildingi Red Linckia / Red Star
  • L. laevigata Blue Star / Blue Linckia
  • L. multifora Red Linckia / Red Star / Comet Sea Star
  • L. purpurea Purple Star

    Nardoa

  • N. frianti Stripped Star
  • N. galatheae Galathea Sea Star
  • N. novaecaledoniae Yellow Mesh Sea Star
  • N. rosea Spotted Star
  • N. tuberculata Mottled Sea Star

    Neoferdina

  • N. cumingi Cuming's Sea Star
  • N. glyptodisca Red Mottled Sea Star
  • N. insolita

    Ophidiaster

  • O. ophidianus Purple Sea Star

    Paraferdina

  • P. sohariae Sohari Sea Star

    Tamaria

  • T. stria Red Star

    Family Oreasteridae

    Choriaster

  • C. granulatus Giant Kenya Starfish

    Culcita

  • C. novaeguineae Bun Starfish
  • C. schmideliana Spiny Cushion Starfish

    Oreaster

  • O. reticulatus Cushion Sea Star, Reticulated Sea Star

    Pentaceraster

  • Pentaceraster sp. Cuming's/White spotted Sea Star
  • P. duebeni Red Tiled Sea Star
  • P. mammillatus Common Knobbed Star
  • P. tuberculatus Red Tubercled Sea Star

    Protoreaster

  • P. linckii Red-knobbed Star
  • P. nodosus Chocolate Chip Sea Star

    Family Poraniidae

    Porania

  • P. pulvillus Carmine Pillow Star

    Order: Spinulosida

    Family Echinasteridae

    Echinaster

  • E. callosus Callous Sea Star
  • E. luzonicus Red Star
  • E. sepositus Red Star

    Henricia

  • H. leviuscula East Pacific Blood Star
  • H. oculata Blood Star

    Order: Forcipulatida

    Family Asteriidae

    Asterias

  • A. amurensis Northern Pacific Seastar
  • A. rubens Common Starfish

    Coscinasterias

  • C. tenuispina Blue Sea Star

    Marthasterias

  • M. glacialis Spiny Sea Star

    Order: Euryalae (Basket Stars)

    Similar to feather stars, these stars curl into a ball during the day, but at night spread their multiple-branched arms to capture planktonic organisms. They actually will walk on their arms to the best feeding areas. Much easier to keep than feather stars, and can be fed a wide range of planktonic foods. Yet, needs an environment dedicated to its needs.

    Family Gorgonocephalidae

    Astrophyton

  • A. muricatum Caribbean Basket Star

    Soft Corals - Hydrocorals - Octocorals 1 - Octocorals 2 - Octocorals 3 - Octocorals4 - Gorgonia/Sea Pens - Sea Anemones - Corallimorpharia - Zoanthids - Black Corals
    Stony Corals - Acanthastrea - Acropora - Alveopora - Blastomussa - Caryophyllia - Catalaphyllia - Caulastrea - Cynarina - Diploastrea - Diploria - Euphyllia - Favia - Favites - Fungia - Galaxea - Goniopora - Heliofungia - Herpolitha - Hydnophora - Leptoria - Lobophyllia - Montastraea - Montipora - Mussa - Mycedium - Nemenzophyllia - Oculina - Pachyseris - Pavona - Physogyra - Platygyra - Plerogyra - Pocillopora - Porites - Scolymia - Seriatopora - Stylophora - Symphyllia - Trachyphyllia - Tubastraea - Turbinaria
    Crustaceans - Copepods, Mysis, Krill, Isopods, and Amphipods - Barnacles - Shrimp - Lobsters - Hermit Crabs - True Crabs
    Molluscs - Clams - Snails/Abalone/Limpets - Sea Hares/Slugs/Nudibranchs - Octopi/Cuttlefish/Squid/Nautilus
    Echinoderms - Sea Lilies/Feather Stars - Starfish/Sea Stars and Basket Stars - Brittle Stars - Urchins/Heart Urchins/Sand Dollars - Sea Cucumbers
    Other Inverts - Sponges - Jellyfish - Sea Squirts - Worms - Plankton

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