Marble Sea Star (Fromia milleporella) Care Guide
Fromia milleporella is a red Indo-Pacific sea star with black pores, intolerant of sudden water changes and dependent on a mature, algae-rich tank.
Overview
Fromia milleporella is a sea star of the family Goniasteridae, displaying various shades of red, which gives it the common names red starfish or black-spotted starfish. It is smaller and somewhat hardier than Linckia, but remains demanding because it depends on naturally occurring biofilm and is intolerant of sudden changes in water chemistry.
Taxonomy
- Class: Asteroidea
- Order: Valvatida
- Family: Goniasteridae
- Genus: Fromia
- Scientific name: Fromia milleporella
- Authority: (Lamarck, 1816)
Habitat
The species ranges throughout the Indo-West Pacific, from Madagascar to the Red Sea, including the Maldives, Sri Lanka, the Bay of Bengal, the East Indies, northern Australia, the Philippines, China, southern Japan, and the South Pacific. It is recorded at depths from 0 to 73 metres.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 150 L
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Salinity: 1.024-1.026 SG
- dKH: 8-11
- Size: 5-10 cm in diameter
- Lifespan: 4-8 years
- Acclimation: slow drip acclimation required
Diet
In aquaria the species feeds on thin layers of algae and requires a well-established system to survive. It shows little dietary flexibility, so supplemental feeding is largely ineffective and only a mature tank with abundant film algae and detritus can support it.
Compatibility
Peaceful and reef-safe with fish. Harlequin shrimp prey on sea stars and should not be kept with Fromia.