Red Linckia Sea Star (Linckia multifora) Care Guide
Linckia multifora is a mottled red Indo-Pacific sea star with slender arms that reproduces via regenerating "comets"; it needs a mature reef tank.
Overview
Linckia multifora is a small Ophidiasteridae sea star with a tiny central disc and five long, slender cylindrical arms. Colour is variable, including brown, pink, red, or gray with small red spots, and the surface is rough with granulations. Arms are thinner than those of the blue Linckia, and husbandry demands are similar.
Taxonomy
- Class: Asteroidea
- Order: Valvatida
- Family: Ophidiasteridae
- Genus: Linckia
- Scientific name: Linckia multifora
Habitat
It is a circumtropical species found across the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and western Pacific, extending to Japan, Lord Howe Island, Hawaii, and the Pitcairn Islands. It inhabits coral reefs to considerable depth.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 200 L
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Salinity: 1.024-1.026 SG
- dKH: 8-11
- Size: 8-15 cm in diameter
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
- Acclimation: slow drip acclimation required
Diet
The species is omnivorous, feeding primarily on bacterial surface films and sponges. It tolerates varying pH, salinity, and temperature better than some related Linckia, but still requires careful acclimation and a mature system with abundant biofilm.
Compatibility
Peaceful and reef-safe with fish. The parasitic snail Stylifer linckiae may infest it, and harlequin shrimp prey on Linckia, so they should not be kept together.
Reproduction
Linckia multifora reproduces asexually by autotomy: a detached arm, called a comet, regenerates into a complete star over roughly ten months, while the parent regrows the lost arm over several months.