MiniStars from ipsf.com

[ipsfdotcom]

Aloha! Maybe within a few years the distributors in Canada will be selling our captive-bred organisms, but for now it is not feasible for us to export our live products there. In a word, there is too much red tape involved to make it economically feasible for us. Sorry about that! If you plan a trip to the states any time soon we can ship to any address there that is served by Fedex.

[defiythelie]

You can PM me the answer to this question if you like, but how much are we talking for shipping these stars. I would think it would be up there because your in Hawaii and I am in Wisconsin?

[96WS7]

My little harlequin serpent star crawled up the intake of my walmart 5-15gal hob filter, is it likely dead or pigging out on all the bad stuff sucked in, should I look for it or let it be?

[ipsfdotcom]

No harm will be done if you look for it!

[96WS7]

haha I looked too late, it died in the filter floss, thx anyways.

[kevin898989]

I assume they stay mini? and do you ship to canada?

[ipsfdotcom]

Yes, they do stay small. We do not ship internationally however. Sorry about that!

[kevin898989]

@ipsfdotcom why can't you ship internationally? livestock export/import issues? Is there anyway you could ship to canada, as in a few years I intend to set up a 1000gal reef and need an excellent detravour kit for it, and you seem to be the only supplier I can find that has the critters/sand bed boosters that I am looking for. The order would be huge, so I would like to think it would be cost effective for you guys.

[collinw24]

Would I have to worry about them reproducing and taking over my aquarium?

[ipsfdotcom]

No worries! MiniStars will not take over your aquarium. Their numbers will always be limited by food and space constraints.

[collinw24]

Great, so how many do you think there will end up being in a 20 gallon FOWLR aquarium?

[ipsfdotcom]

A 20 gal tank can easily accommodate dozens, even a hundred or more. Their biomass is very small.

[observer855]

would these guys try to eat my clownfish's eggs during the night?

I'm wondering if they are benign enough to keep in a broodstock tank.

[ipsfdotcom]

MiniStars will not eat clownfish eggs. They feed on non-specific bacterial and algal films, including those containing diatoms and other single-celled microalgae.

[boltp777]

what is the latin name?

[ipsfdotcom]

Probably Ophiocoma sp., but I wouldn't bet the farm on it. Very often with lower invertebrates it is difficult or impossible to find a scientific name that is widely accepted. Some of them have not been named, and even if they have the names may be disputed among taxonomists.

[ipsfdotcom]

Heavens no.

[hotdoghee123]

they wont eat your corals will they

[ipsfdotcom]

All of the organisms featured in the ipsfdotcom videos are saltwater species, including the MiniStars.

[alexvasilik]

are they for salt or fresh water

[ipsfdotcom]

The MiniStars will be okay with these fishes. MinIStars spend a lot of time down in the sandbed and under the rocks as well, being cryptic by nature.

[shortlildancer28]

Thank you!!!

[ipsfdotcom]

Probably not a problem, but it would help to know which type(s) of sea stars you have. Different tropical sea star species do have different diets. They range from fully herbivorous to fully carnivorous. And these are actual starfish, not brittle stars, correct?

[shortlildancer28]

I don't have any stars at the moment, but I'm planning what to put in the tank in the future. Unfortunately, I have quite a deep layer of sand and I'm looking for something to go deep into it and stir it up, so I was looking at sea stars.

While I'm asking, I have green chromis, tomato clown and fire fish in the tank (and eventually planning on adding a coral beauty dwarf angel). Will any of these go after your mini stars?

Thank you so much for your videos and answers!!!

[shortlildancer28]

And, is there any problem with these, or any of your products with larger sea stars? I have a 29 gallon tank. Thank you!

[ipsfdotcom]

Sorry, can't answer that with certainty. We generally steer clear of shrimps in our tanks because many of them do consume beneficial invertebrates in the sandbed.

[shortlildancer28]

Will cleaner shrimp eat these mini stars?

[johnsemail1000]

I have never seen them eat them.

[mikehermesmeglio]

Hi. If one has a bare bottom tank will they live among the rock happily?

[ipsfdotcom]

Yes, they'll be fine in a bare bottom tank.

They are cryptic by nature and will hide amongst the rockwork during the day.

At night they tend to venture out more.

[wiifan62]

i have many of these on all of my live rock in my reef but i have none in my sand. why dont they go in the sand? they just stay in little tiny holes in the live rock and stick out there little arms when i feed my reef mysis shrimp.

[ipsfdotcom]

Often mini brittle stars reside under the sand and may not be visible most of the time, at least during daylight hours.

They do tend to be more active at night.

You can check on them by scanning the sandbed with a flashlight after dark.

One other thought: is it possible that you have a predatory fish or invertebrate in your tank that is eating ones that do reach the sandbed?

[wiifan62]

no this is a 75 gal reef with lots of coral. 1 yellow tang some damsels chromis and a cleaner wrasse