The Chocolate Chip Starfish is a striking and hardy sea star named for the dark, cone-shaped “chips” covering its thick, tan to orange arms. Its bold appearance and ease of care make it a popular choice for fish-only marine tanks, though it must be housed with care in reef environments.
Description:
Common Name: Chocolate Chip Starfish
Scientific Name: Protoreaster nodosus
Family: Oreasteridae
Size: Up to 15 inches (38 cm) across
Temperament: Peaceful
Difficulty: Easy
Reef Safe: With caution
Native Region:
Native to shallow sandy and muddy bottoms of the Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to the central Pacific islands.
Aquarium Setup:
Tank Size: Minimum of 50 gallons
Temperature: 72–78°F (22–26°C)
pH: 8.0–8.4
Salinity: 1.023–1.025
Substrate: Soft sand or fine crushed coral; provide open space for movement and grazing.
Additional Tips
• Reef Caution: Will eat soft corals, anemones, and other sessile invertebrates—not reef safe with most corals.
• Compatibility: Peaceful, but should be kept with non-aggressive tankmates; avoid triggers, puffers, and large wrasses.
• Diet: Opportunistic scavenger—feed meaty foods like shrimp, clam, or silversides if natural detritus is insufficient.
• Handling: Sensitive to changes in salinity and exposure to air—acclimate slowly and keep submerged during transfers.
