Fromia starfish (orange marble)

Care at a glance

The fromia starfish is orange-red with a finely tiled surface and stays small, which makes it one of the few starfish that also fit a medium-sized reef tank. It moves slowly across rock and glass in search of film and detritus.

It is entirely reef safe, but sensitive: it asks for a long-established tank with plenty of grown-in rock, stable parameters and very slow acclimation on purchase. Rapidly changing salinity or an over-clean tank are the main causes of losses.

Good to know

• Needs a mature, stable tank

Best not combined with

• Harlequin shrimpHymenocera picta

Related species

• Blue Linckia starfishLinckia laevigata
• Tigertail sea cucumberHolothuria hilla
• Chocolate chip starfishProtoreaster nodosus
• Sea applePseudocolochirus violaceus
• Pencil urchinEucidaris tribuloides
• Sea hareDolabella auricularia