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Marine   Invertebrates

Necklace starfish
(Fromia monilis)

Necklace starfish

Alternative species (click on the thumbnail to see the card)

Names

Scientific name
Fromia monilis
Scytaster monilis

Common name
Necklace starfish
Tiled starfish

Origin

what are its countries of origin?

Origin: Pacific Ocean, Red Sea, Indian Ocean
Natural habitat: cosmopolitan, up to 35 m / 115 deep

Dimorphism

what are the physical differences between males and females?

Hardly visible. Males' claws are larger than females.

Group

Group

None

Volume

what is the minimum volume for this species?

400 L / 88 Imp Gal / 106 US Gal

Parameters

what are the water parameters for the maintenance of this fish?

T°: 22 to 26°C or 72 to 79°F
pH: 7.5 to 8.5
Density: 1022 to 1028

Difficulty

Difficulty

Hard

Size

what is the maximum size of this fish?

10 to 15cm (4 to 5.9")

Longevity

what is the average life expectancy of this fish?

/

Living zone

in which area of the aquarium does this fish live?

Everywhere

Individuals

sociability of the species

1

Food

How to feed the Necklace starfish?

Food

How to feed the Necklace starfish?

It's the black spot of its maintenance. Feeding this starfish is extremely difficult and very specialized: it feeds exclusively on red sponges that it encounters along the way. Most of the specimens sold for aquariums die of starvation within a year of capture due to lack of proper care. This species should therefore be avoided in most cases!

Behavior

What kind of behavior does the Palette Necklace starfish have?

Behavior

What kind of behavior does the Necklace starfish have?

Although they get along well with their fellow creatures, they are solitary. They are quite active at night and remain hidden in the background during the day.

Cohabitation

Who can live with the Necklace starfish?

Cohabitation

Who can live with the Necklace starfish?

Do not introduce too many starfish into a reef aquarium. Indeed, the repeated passage of several individuals over the corals can damage them. So you can keep several specimens from 400 L / 88 Imp Gal / 106 US Gal upwards, at a rate of one individual for every additional 50 L / 11 Imp Gal / 13 US gal.

Beware of cohabitation with its predators: harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera), crabs of the genus Mithrax or Stenorhynchus, worms of the type Eunice and Polychetes.

Breeding

How to breed the Necklace starfish?

Breeding

How to breed the Necklace starfish?

Sexual reproduction of this species is very rare in aquariums.

Its aquarium

Which aquarium for the Necklace starfish?

Its aquarium

Which aquarium for the Necklace starfish?

The Necklace starfish can be found in all marine aquariums. It will be able to live in a reef tank with rocks, algae and corals. All types of substrate are suitable.

It is imperative that it be introduced into very stable aquariums and matured for a while.

Good To know

Find all additional information!

Good To know

Find all additional information!

It is a very fragile species, sensitive to variations in water parameters and very difficult to feed properly. For this reason, its maintenance in aquariums should only be attempted by experts in marine aquariophiles. For all the others, it is necessary to make the mourning of its maintenance in captivity because the fight is lost in advance!

Because of its fragility, acclimatization must be extremely gentle, with a drip. Likewise, avoid buying your starfish on the internet because it does not tolerate transport very well.

This starfish has more than one trick up its sleeve! In some cases, thanks to its very impressive regenerative properties, a new individual can be born from a severed arm! On the other hand, in a domestic aquarium, this operation is very risky.

Like all invertebrates, Fromia is very sensitive to copper, which is toxic to it. Be very careful if you have to administer medical treatments based on medication!

Never take your starfish out of the water! It can swallow air, which will be fatal.

Beware of confusion with Fromia monilis, Fromia nodosa, Fromia indica and Celerina heffernani.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

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