Chocholate Chip Star Fish
| Common Name | Sea Star - Chocolate Chip Starfish *Red/Orange* |
| Other Common Names | Chocolate Chip Star Fish, Chocolate Chip Starfish |
| Scientific Name | Protoreaster nodosus |
| Origin / Range | Tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans |
| Size | Larger than Average (for Sea Stars) |
| Life Span | ? |
| Compatibility | Relatively Aggressive (For Sea Stars) - May eat corals. |
| Category | Saltwater Inverts |
| Description | Chocolate Chip Sea Stars display chocolate brown thorns on the dorsal surface, resembling chocolate chips, giving the animal it's name. Chocolate Chip Stars are hardy but often sensitive to poor water quality. They are not considered reef safe as they may eat corals, clams, and oysters. Large, aggressive fish and crustaceans may harass Chocolate Chip Stars. Changes in behavior or appearance, such as slow movement, refusal of food, etc., may indicate system problems. Chocolate Chip Sea Stars are cleaners and usually find food in their aquariums but may occasionally require supplements. Chocolate Chip Stars are sandy, tan, or light shades of brown in color with darker, brown to black, raised thorns. Some, desirable variants display red and orange colors with black thorns. Its body is thick with five arms which radiate from its center and form a radially symmetric star shape. Tube-like feet, located in grooves beneath each arm, move the Star along. It's mouth, located in the center of its underside lacks any teeth. |
| Care Information | Chocolate Chip Sea Stars are easy to care for and do well between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The pH of your water should lay between 8.3 and 8.4. A specific gravity of between 1.023 and 1.025 are best. Some large crabs, lobsters, Trigger, Angel, and Puffer Fish may harass Chocolate Chip Stars. Spot feeding using a feeding stick once or twice weekly to offer shrimp, clams, mussels, or krill can effectively supplement the Chocolate Chip Stars diet. |
| Breeding / Propagation | Chocolate Chip Stars reproduce by both sexually and asexually by regeneration of fragmentations. If part of a Chocolate Chip Sea Star is amputated or separated from the main body, it may regrow into a new complete animal provided the amputated part contains a portion of the oral disk. The main body may also regenerate a new limb. Sexually, the sea star releases gametes from pores at the base of its arms. |
