Blue Linckia Starfish - XL
Blue Linckia Starfish - XL
Blue Linckia Starfish (Linckia laevigata)
Introduce an absolute showstopper and a crown jewel of the marine hobby to your reef aquarium. The Blue Linckia Starfish is famous for its stunning, deep electric-blue coloration and smooth, velvety texture. Far from just a pretty face, this peaceful invertebrate functions as a diligent, continuous scavenger that spends its days scaling your rockwork and glass, consuming organic detritus, bacterial films, and microscopic organisms that build up in well-established systems.
While their vivid beauty makes them highly sought after, they are a premium species meant for mature aquariums with stable parameters and plenty of pristine live rock.
Quick Care Specifications
Care Level: Expert / Difficult
Temperament: Peaceful
Maximum Size: Up to 12 inches in diameter
Minimum Tank Size: 50 to 75 Gallons (Must be mature and spacious)
Reef Compatibility: 100% Reef-Safe (Completely safe for corals, clams, and other mobile invertebrates)
Water Parameters: 72–78°F, pH 8.1–8.4, dKH 8–12, Salinity 1.023–1.025 SG (Strictly Stable)
Key Features & Tank Requirements
🌀 Constant Film & Detritus Scavenger
An active micro-grazer that glides across your sand bed and live rock. Rather than eating macroalgae or frozen meats, they feed on film algae, detritus, slime, and the microscopic bacterial biofilms coating your tank's surfaces, helping to keep your aquascape looking immaculate.
⚠️ Mature Aquarium Requirement (Crucial)
Because they rely heavily on established biofilms and micro-fauna for food, they should never be introduced to a newly cycled or young aquarium. They require large volumes of mature, porous live rock (ideally in a tank running for at least 6 months to a year) to avoid gradual starvation.
🌊 Extreme Osmotic Shock Sensitivity
Linckia starfish possess a highly complex water vascular system and have zero tolerance for sudden changes in salinity, pH, or temperature. Rapid shifts can cause cellular damage, tissue necrosis (white patches), or death. A meticulous drip-acclimation process lasting 2 to 3 hours is mandatory before introduction.
🚫 Never Expose to Air
When moving or handling the Blue Linckia, ensure it remains submerged in water at all times. Exposing them to the open air can trap air bubbles inside their delicate water vascular system, which can cause internal damage and can be fatal to the animal.
🦐 Copper and Medication Sensitivity
Like all echinoderms, Blue Linckias are highly vulnerable to copper-based medications and elevated nitrate levels. Maintain pristine water quality and ensure any treatments utilized in the main display are completely invertebrate-safe.