Worried about clown

[Fishy Steve]

I have a small clown in a 140L tank and recently got a choc chip star. From what I've been reading there could be a chance of the clown being eaten while sleeping. Am I worring about nothing or is this a possibility?

[Warr7207]

Not totally likely, but you going to battle to keep that Sea Star happy. It is a scavenger and normally lives on loads detritus. You must see if you can target feed it fresh seafood

[jacquesb]

Hi Fishy Steve - For fish that sleep on the ground - YES. For your clown - NO. Anemone fish do not sleep on the ground at all. They usually look for either a coral, or a rocky ourcrop to support them when they sleep. Sometimes even power-heads act as supports when they sleep.

Clowns also make a highly exagerated swimming movement (the funny clown movement) when they sleep..... Take a dim torch and have a look after lights out! ;-)

[nakoma]

you could add a night light if you worried a led set of blue lights that simulates the moon light for your tank so the fish can still see what is going on when needed

[Fishy Steve]

I tried target feeding it a hermit crab pellet and it gobbled it up. Well it didn't gobble it up but it did eat it. Is it a good idea to feed that to it? It is HBH Hermit crab pellets I had left over from a killer big red legged hermit.

[jacquesb]

Hi Fishy Steve. If you do not have enough detritus and algae in your tank, then yes - you can feed the hermit crab. Another thing with the chocolate chip starfish - it could also most likely die if there is indeed not enough food for it to live of in your tank....

[marine101]

Hi, with regards to HERMIT, Due, feed it anything, they like walking trash cans. Even small sliced fish, sliced calamari, prawn etc, heck even the fish that die in your tank lol.

I really dont think the choc star will even try to eat your clown, unless its already dead. So nothing to worry about, REALLY!

later

[Warr7207]

Originally Posted by jacquesb

Hi Fishy Steve. If you do not have enough detritus and algae in your tank, then yes - you can feed the hermit crab. Another thing with the chocolate chip starfish - it could also most likely die if there is indeed not enough food for it to live of in your tank....

Very true, it is weird how much sea stars can eat, with such a slow metabolism.

[Fishy Steve]

I throw in quite a few pellets nearby him cause the clown steals one and so does the cleaner shrimp. Saw the shrimp take the pellet from right under the choc chip, it must make him angry as hell.

[Warr7207]

Originally Posted by Fishy Steve

I throw in quite a few pellets nearby him cause the clown steals one and so does the cleaner shrimp. Saw the shrimp take the pellet from right under the choc chip, it must make him angry as hell.

feed him something bigger than pellets, nice piece of fish or squid. Must be big enough for the other fish not to be able to nab it. I also have a feeding pad mounted against the side wall about 200mm above the substrate, this is to stop the crabs from stealing the food from the seastar.

Also feed him all the time. I have very small star (50mm diameter) and he feeds every night, 50c piece of meat.

[gaz19]

Originally Posted by Warr7207

feed him something bigger than pellets, nice piece of fish or squid. Must be big enough for the other fish not to be able to nab it. I also have a feeding pad mounted against the side wall about 200m above the substrate, this is to stop the crabs from stealing the food from the seastar.

Also feed him all the time. I have very small star (50mm diameter) and he feeds every night, 50c piece of meat.

wont to show us a pics hahaha just kidding

[sunburst]

Originally Posted by gaz19

wont to show us a pics hahaha just kidding

LOL. Need your own personal pebble bed reactor to fire up your giga watt halide

[Warr7207]

Originally Posted by gaz19

wont to show us a pics hahaha just kidding

[Warr7207]

Originally Posted by sunburst

LOL. Need your own personal pebble bed reactor to fire up your giga watt halide

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Warr7207

Very true, it is weird how much sea stars can eat, with such a slow metabolism.

I can only assume they must be able to speed up/slow down their metabolism as the food availability allows, but i am guessing, it's something i have thought about though, i've read countless reports about starving starfish - and read about how much they can eat.
Warren, please post up a picture of your feeding mat, it may help others with starfish to keep them alive more successfully.

[Warr7207]

Originally Posted by Wee-Man

I can only assume they must be able to speed up/slow down their metabolism as the food availability allows, but i am guessing, it's something i have thought about though, i've read countless reports about starving starfish - and read about how much they can eat.
Warren, please post up a picture of your feeding mat, it may help others with starfish to keep them alive more successfully.

Will do during the weekend