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Coral Vue Hydros

Cutting Up Starfish


johnmaloney

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toastii, yes some people have devoted their sumps just to provide a kind of refugium to grow out several stars... usually chocolate chip stars i believe since they are one of the hardiest and their diet is known. They just let them grow and once in a while cut an arm off and put it in the display with the harleys. Nothing dies although the stars might wish for a somewhat better life.

 

my understanding is that harleys will quickly decimate any asterina population you might have. They certainly aren't limited to fromia and linckia although they would gladly eat those too.

 

the ethical question is a subjective one. it just depends on the person's priorities. Myself, I don't think i could stomach it, although i can understand people who do (fine by me).

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  • 5 years later...

What is the bare minimum sump size in which you think a chocolate chip could survive (not long-term; to keep it alive long enough to be clipped of its legs and then finished off by a harlequin). I am planning out a 6 gallon display and have space in the stand for a fluval 2 gallon or 2.5 w/ an overhanging pump and my other equipment. I assume this would not work but figured there's no harm in asking.

 

Edit: A small CC, of course.

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So let me get this straight, this "ethical" discussion is revolving around whether it's "okay" to cut up a starfish to allow for propagation?

 

One hand: people say this is an animal, it is unethical to cut up a living animal.

 

Other hand: we feed live animals (feeder shrimp, fish, stars) to captive species which only will accept live foods, and catch or raise these animals for that sole purpose. In this case we plop a choc chip star to satiate a harlequin shrimp for our own personal satisfaction of keeping said shrimp.

 

IMO neither scenario is very ethical, I don't think anyone has the right to throw stones on this one!

 

If you cut up a star for the idea of propagation to keep said shrimp, how is that any different than buying said star to FEED said shrimp?

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Harlequins will eat stars WAY quicker than they can regenerate their legs. I don't know anyone who has kept a large enough population of starfish for this to ever work. I think the "cut the leg off to feed and let it grow back" theory is just that. It would only work if you kept like 10+ stars and even the. Keeping the stars long term would be more a chore than worth while IMO.

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What about those cutting maxi mini nems as well? These animals don't have brains I don't think they feel pain the same as one that do.

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I adore my harlequin shrimp and have no qualms about feeding a chocolate chip that was bred by LFS specifically for this purpose.

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I adore my harlequin shrimp and have no qualms about feeding a chocolate chip that was bred by LFS specifically for this purpose.

In willing to bet a lot of money those starfish are not bred by your lfs. They're wild caught, don't kid yourself theses aren't chickens.

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the central nervous system for a starfish is much less sophisticated then a human or a mammal. they do not feel pain. i personally do not see a problem with this. Its nature, its cruel and harsh and anyone who supports those nut-jobs at peta is a prime example on how humans have found a way to negate evolution and survival of the fittest. modern technology has allowed to many gene pools that should of died off from stupidity to flourish.

 

A starfish feels no more pain than a pice of coral, feeding it to a higher class animal either pice by pice or whole is nothing more than a meal.

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My LFS does breed them, I do not care to know the method. Feeding stars to my harleys is IMO, the same as a human eating a steak or chicken.

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fretfreak13

What is the bare minimum sump size in which you think a chocolate chip could survive (not long-term; to keep it alive long enough to be clipped of its legs and then finished off by a harlequin). I am planning out a 6 gallon display and have space in the stand for a fluval 2 gallon or 2.5 w/ an overhanging pump and my other equipment. I assume this would not work but figured there's no harm in asking.

 

Edit: A small CC, of course.

 

If this is for feeding a harley, just buy the starfish and freeze it. Then you can clip legs and defrost them to feed the shrimp.

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Lol at the ethics question. Guys we keep fish in a glass (or acrylic) square (or rectangle) for their entire lives.

 

Has anyone successfully kept a harlequin with the supplementation of stars though? I think they look really great, but have no idea how to keep a steady sea star population.

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My LFS does breed them, I do not care to know the method. Feeding stars to my harleys is IMO, the same as a human eating a steak or chicken.

Agreed to the fact it's a feeder and a lesser animal. Although I still call BS on your lfs. Not you necisarily but they don't breed any starfish unless its an asterina.

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If this is for feeding a harley, just buy the starfish and freeze it. Then you can clip legs and defrost them to feed the shrimp.

 

Welp that answers my question.

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fretfreak13

My haliquins didn't like the frozen route, I tried it trust me.

 

Oh thats odd! We do this for Harleys at the store that I work at and have never had a problem. You must have had a few really picky ones! I've seen this work for over 15 different individuals, so its at least worth a shot for someone who wants to try harlequins. Sorry it didn't work for you. =(

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Did nobody else notice this thread is like 5 years old? Beware the zombie thread!

It is always better to post in an existing thread than start a new one.

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Oh thats odd! We do this for Harleys at the store that I work at and have never had a problem. You must have had a few really picky ones! I've seen this work for over 15 different individuals, so its at least worth a shot for someone who wants to try harlequins. Sorry it didn't work for you. =(
Worth a shot yes, mine would pick at frozen but not eat the legs I gave them completely. The added pollution from an already dead animal isn't worth it IMO. Even when I fed whole stars they ate it before decomposition instead of introducing an already decaying dead body part like when feeding frozen bits.

 

Did nobody else notice this thread is like 5 years old? Beware the zombie thread!
Best info on the thread... Who cares, it's all useful knowledge if you can read and retain the information.
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fretfreak13

Worth a shot yes, mine would pick at frozen but not eat the legs I gave them completely. The added pollution from an already dead animal isn't worth it IMO. Even when I fed whole stars they ate it before decomposition instead of introducing an already decaying dead body part like when feeding frozen bits.

 

Best info on the thread... Who cares, it's all useful knowledge if you can read and retain the information.

 

What did you wind up doing?

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I purchased and fed about two chocolate chip starfish a month. I had my harlequin pair for years. They got bigger than any others I've personally seen myself and spawned quite often. I consider myself to be somewhat knowledgable on these guys. Take what I say as you will but I have a lot of confidence I. Keeping these guys and also have a decent knowledge of their prey.

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In willing to bet a lot of money those starfish are not bred by your lfs. They're wild caught, don't kid yourself theses aren't chickens.
Lol .... Ooooooh lord! Aint that the truth
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I think its possible, under the right conditions. I'll try to find the link but it said under perfect conditions starfish can be propagated like nems. Didnt believe it until i added some white crushed coral to my tank that i had sitting for a year and all of a sudden after a few days I noticed a broken tiny white starfish leg make its way to the glass, after a few days i had a whole white micro brittle, I currently have at least a hundred in the tank now. So it can be done lol.

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