Red Knob Sea Star

Protoreaster linckii

Identification	A showy star — cream to grey arms overlaid with a network of red lines and a row of bright red conical knobs down each arm. One of the most recognizable sea stars in the hobby.
Maximum Length	about 12″
Origin	Indian Ocean — East Africa and Madagascar
Minimum Tank Size	100 Gal. with a mature sand bed
Reef Compatibility	Not reef safe

Behavior

A large, striking, and frankly predatory sea star. It cruises the sand and rock scavenging, and readily eats sponges, tunicates, clams, snails and soft corals — so it belongs in a fish-only or dedicated system rather than a reef.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore and scavenger. Target-feed meaty foods such as clam, mussel and shrimp; it will also hunt sessile invertebrates on its own.

Cautions

Not reef safe — it preys on sponges, clams, snails and corals. Needs a large, mature system and slow drip acclimation, and is very sensitive to salinity change and copper. It often starves in undersized tanks.