Chocolate Chip Starfish Food: Diet, Feeding Tips & Care Explained
Chocolate chip starfish are fascinating marine creatures with unique dietary needs. Providing the best chocolate chip starfish food is essential for their health, as they thrive on a protein-rich diet. But how often to feed chocolate chip starfish, and how to feed chocolate chip starfish properly?
This guide covers everything from their feeding habits to chocolate chip starfish care, ideal tank mates, and whether they are reef-safe. You’ll also learn about their average size and how long they live, ensuring they stay healthy in your aquarium.
Want to Pet a Chocolate Chip Starfish? Key Facts You Should Know
| Name | The Chocolate Chip Starfish |
| Others Names | Nodular Sea Star, Horned sea star, Horned Starfish, Chocolate sea star |
| Scientific Name | Protoreaster nodosus. |
| Family | Oreasteridae |
| Tank size at home (minimum) | 20 gallons (80 liters) |
| Tank size suggestion for long term | Minimum 30 gallons 114 liters or 40 gallons 151 liters tanks are recommended for long-term care. |
| Tank size suggestion for long-term | They are not reef-safe and can eat corals and other invertebrates. |
| Water type | SG = 1.021 – 1.025 |
| Water hardness | 8 to 12 dKH |
| Breeding at aquarium | Difficult in an aquarium |
| Care as a pet | Easy |
| Optimal Temperature | 24 – 27°C (~75°F – 79°F) |
| Optimal Ph | 8.1 – 8.4 |
| Diet/ feed as a Pet | Mostly Carnivore / Omnivore Starfish Food contains messy eaters of chopped shrimps clams brine shrimp and produce waste. |
| Temperament | Non-aggressive fish-only tank. Avoid Pufferfish, Tigerfish, and other starfish predators in the tank |
| Non-aggressive fish-only tank. Avoid Pufferfish, Tigerfish, and other starfish predators in the tank | Non-aggressive fish-only tank. Avoid Pufferfish, Tigerfish, and other starfish predators in the tank |
| Growth | They serve under 6 inches of 15 cm of water. |
| Average Size | Chocolate chip starfish size range, with a maximum diameter of 16 inches. The central disk, or body, can reach up to 5 inches. Each arm can grow to 5.5 inches. Most Chocolate Chips only reach 8 to 10 inches. |
Chocolate Chip Starfish Description: Taxonomy & Natural Habitat
The Chocolate Chip Starfish, scientifically named Protoreaster nodosus, is a fascinating species of sea star found in the warm, shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea.
They prefer sandy or muddy bottoms near seagrass beds and coral reefs at depths down to 100 feet. Their range extends from Indonesia and the Solomon Islands to New Caledonia, southern Japan, and the Seychelles.
Also Read: Florida Starfish Species Identification Complete Guide
Why it’s called a Chocolate Chip Starfish?
Despite the name, the Chocolate Chip Starfish is not made of chocolate! It gets its nickname from the small, dark brown bumps that cover its body, resembling chocolate chips scattered on a cookie. These bumps, technically called tubercles, are not for eating. They are spines that help deter predators.
The coloration of Nodular Sea Star
The Chocolate Chip Starfish’s primary color can range from tan to brown, but it can also come in ivory, pale yellow, pink, and red-brown shades. The characteristic “chocolate chips” are always a darker brown shade than the base color.
Habitat of Chocolate Chip Starfish
Chocolate chip starfish like to live in soft places, like sandy or muddy bottoms in the ocean. They don’t like rough, rocky areas much. You can often find them in places with seagrass or lagoons.
When the tide is low, sometimes you can see them, but they must stay underwater to survive. They don’t like being out of water for too long.
These starfish usually live in shallow water, not too deep, about 3 to 100 feet underwater. The young ones especially like shallow sandy areas with lots of seagrass. Most of the time, they’re alone, but sometimes they hang out in groups, maybe when they’re having babies or when there’s lots of food around.
Interestingly, other small animals like shrimp and tiny fish sometimes hang out on the chocolate chip starfish.
They’re safe there because not many animals want to eat a starfish because of its spiky skin. It’s like the starfish gives them a safe home.
Chocolate chip starfish live in the Indo-Pacific region, including places like Indonesia, Japan, and Australia. They’re also found in parts of Africa and Southeast Asia.
Appearance of Chocolate chip starfish
They have lots of small, dark brown bumps all over their body. These bumps look like chocolate chips stuck on a cookie, and that’s how they got their name! Scientists call these bumps “tubercles.”
The bumps aren’t for eating but to scare away predators who might want to make a meal of the starfish. Over time, the bumps can wear down and get smoother.
Their primary body color can be tan, brown, yellow, pink, or even reddish-brown. No matter the base color, the “chocolate chips” are always a darker shade of brown. There’s no way to tell the males from the females just by looking.
Underside & Movement
The starfish’s underside has rows of tiny tube feet, usually purple, pink, or clear. These tube feet help the starfish move around.
Most Nodular Sea Star have five arms, but some can have six. They’re good at regrowing lost arms!
Size & Lifespan of Horned Sea Star
In the wild, these starfish can grow up to 15 inches across and live for about 17 years.
If they’re kept in an aquarium with good food and clean water, they can live for 7 to 10 years.
Chocolate Sea Star Food: Types & Feeding Guide Explained
Horned sea stars (Chocolate chip starfish) are scavengers and eat various foods. Their mouth is located on the underside (ventrally). The starfish can evert its stomach, pushing it out of its mouth to engulf food. Enzymes, such as proteases, carbohydrates, and lipases, are then secreted to break down the food externally.
1. Corals
Starfish food also contains coral polyps, they tiny invertebrates related to sea anemones and jellyfish.
2. Sponges
Sponges are stationary filter feeders. Starfish can evert their stomach (push it out of their mouth) to engulf and digest sponges.
3. Detritus
starfish food also contains on dead organic matter, including decaying plants and animal remains. Starfish are detritivores, meaning they consume detritus and help decompose organic material on the ocean floor.
4. Mollusks
These are soft-bodied invertebrates like snails, mussels, clams, oysters, scallops, and squid. They can live in various depths, including intertidal pools and reefs where chocolate chip starfish are found.
While some mollusks are fast-moving, many are slow and vulnerable to predation.
5. Sea urchins
These spiny echinoderms can also be part of a chocolate chip starfish’s diet. They are present in every depth zone and move very slowly, a good source of starfish food.
6. Algae
Algae are a living thing that starfish eat. Algae are found everywhere and are good for marine animals, it is also good source of starfish food.
7. Crustaceans
Crabs, shrimp, krill, prawns, and other crustaceans’ sessile-like barnacles might be eaten by starfish. Found in freshwater and ocean.
8. Small Invertebrates
Examples include worms, clams, and other tiny animals found on the seabed.
Tiny fish: On rare occasions, a starfish might eat a small fish.
Interesting Fact: Starfish can pry open the shells of mollusks using their strong tube feet.
Bonus points About Horned Starfish Feeding Habits
- Chocolate chip starfish also hunt down and eat snails and sea urchins. Therefore, do not place these animals in a reef Tank.
- Offer chopped shrimp and squid for chocolate chip starfish. Clams may be challenging to eat. Place food in open areas, as they can’t reach crevices.
How to Feed a Chocolate Chip Starfish & What They Eat
Chocolate chip starfish are omnivores, meaning they eat plant and animal material. In the wild, they consume tiny organisms like meiofauna and detritus (decomposing organic matter).
Aquariums offer a varied diet that mimics their natural feeding habits. This can include a combination of Algae-based Starfish food.
While not their primary food source, some starfish benefit from occasional offerings of nori seaweed or spirulina flakes.
Starfish Food Feeding Behavior
Unlike humans, starfish have an eversible stomach. This means they can push their stomach out of their body to engulf food externally. This process can take time, so be patient.
Chocolate Sea Star Feeding Tips
1. Targeted Feeding
For shy or weak starfish, you can gently place them on top of the food.
2. Avoid Competition
Don’t overcrowd the tank with other scavengers that might outcompete the starfish for food.
3. No training needed
Nodular Sea Star don’t require training to feed in the tank; their instincts will guide them towards food.
4. Important Note – Not reef Friendly
Chocolate chip starfish are not reef-safe. They will eat corals and other invertebrates in a reef tank.
5. Feeding Frequency
Once every 1-2 weeks is a good feeding schedule for a healthy Horned sea star in an adequately sized aquarium.
Author Note
Maintaining good water quality and hygiene is crucial for the health of your Horned Starfish.
How Often Should We Feed Chocolate Sea Stars?
They are carnivores and scavengers. They are good decomposers of the ocean and feed on dead organisms, as described above, but they can also hunt live prey. If they have eaten all the available food in the tank, you can supplement their diet with feedings once every 1-2 weeks.
You can feed them chopped clams, mussels, or shrimp. Some aquariums offer specialized commercial diets designed for starfish and other invertebrates.
These can be an excellent alternative to live food. However, it’s essential to provide a varied diet and avoid overfeeding.
I have 3 Chocolate Chip sea stars (Protoreaster nodosus).
These are opportunistic feeders and will take food offered to them. You can provide a tiny piece of thawed (not frozen) shrimp near the mouth of the starfish. If it’s hungry, it will accept the food. Otherwise, it will leave it for scavengers like crabs. As you mentioned, be sure to feed your starfish appropriately.
Are you efficiently feeding Chocolate Chip Starfish food?
how to feed your chocolate chip starfish easily:
1. Frozen Food Packs for a starfish
Look for frozen seafood mixes or brine shrimp that are already chopped up. You can defrost them and give small amounts to your starfish. It’s easier than cutting fresh food and makes less mess.
2. Use Feeding Tongs
Grab some tongs to feed your starfish. Put the food right in front of its mouth, underneath its body. This way, other fish won’t steal its food, and you won’t waste any.
3. Feeding Spot For Starfish Food
Make a particular spot in your tank for feeding. It can be a small dish or platform. Your starfish will learn that this is where it gets food.
Remember these necessary tips for efficient feeding of Chocolate Sea Star:
Mix Up the Menu
Give your starfish different foods like frozen seafood, exceptional sea star food from the store, and sometimes treats like clams or mussels.
Don’t Overfeed
Feed your starfish once a week or every two weeks. It’s enough to keep them happy without messing in your tank.
The Chocolate Chip Sea Star Feeding Techniques
Chocolate chip starfish are opportunistic feeders, meaning they’ll eat various things available to them. While generally peaceful towards fish, they’re not reef-safe because they prey on corals, sponges, snails, crustaceans, bivalves, and sea anemones.
Interestingly, they use a process called eversion. They evert their stomach outside their body, enveloping the food. Digestive enzymes break down the food externally. Once digested, the liquefied food is absorbed back into the body through the stomach lining.
1. Tube feet
Starfish use their numerous tube feet, equipped with tiny suckers, to move across the seabed and manipulate food.
2. Ambulacral System
This hydraulic system powers the tube feet, allowing them to exert force and grip onto prey or starfish food particles.
3. Radial Canals
These channels within the starfish body transport nutrients absorbed from food.
4. Biological Processes
a. Extracellular Digestion
Starfish evert their stomach outside their body, releasing digestive enzymes onto the food source.
b. Nutrient Absorption
Once broken down, nutrients are absorbed through the stomach lining and transported throughout the body via the radial canals.
c. Waste Removal
Undigested material is ejected through the anus. Chocolate chip starfish food contains detritus, biofilm, and algae in the sand bed.
Is Chocolate Chip Starfish Coral Safe?
No, Chocolate Chip Starfish are not reef-safe. While they may eat algae and detritus (decaying organic matter), they are also opportunistic predators. If the opportunity arises, they will readily consume soft corals, sponges, worms, snails, and even small fish. Adults can grow up to 15 inches in diameter and require a large aquarium with plenty of hiding places and a steady food supply.
How Do I Care for a Chocolate Chip Star Fish?
Keeping Chocolate Chip Starfish as a pet is an Interesting hobby. You can take care of them in a better way by following these:
1. Keep the Water Clean
Chocolate Chip Starfish need good water quality. Change the water regularly to remove harmful substances.
2. Check the Oxygen, Saltiness & Temperature
These stay steady. Sudden changes can make the starfish sick.
3. Be careful When Moving Them
Never let them touch the air. Air bubbles can harm them. When you move them to a new tank, do it slowly using special buckets and methods.
4. Acclimate Them Properly
This means slowly getting them used to the new tank’s conditions. Here’s how:
- Put them in a bucket with old tank water and let it float in the new tank for 30 minutes.
- Drip new tank water slowly into the bucket for 2-3 hours to match the new tank’s conditions.
- Then, gently release them into the new tank.
Remember
The Madreporite is their water system; you don’t need to close it.
Shining light doesn’t help them get used to water, but it helps them adjust to the new tank’s light.
Follow these steps, and your Chocolate Chip Starfish will stay healthy and happy in its tank.
How do I know if the chocolate Chip Starfish is Healthy?
Wondering if your chocolate chip starfish is healthy? Observe its movement, appearance, and reflexes. A thriving starfish moves regularly, has intact limbs, and quickly flips itself when turned over.
1. Activity Level
A healthy starfish slowly moves around in the tank. If it’s not moving much, it might be sick.
2. Appearance
The starfish should have all its body parts and no missing legs or wounds. The tips of its legs should be the same color as its body, not white.
3. Righting Reflex
If you gently turn the starfish upside down, it should be able to flip itself back over quickly if it’s healthy.
How to Choose a Healthy Starfish at the Pet Store?
1. Pick a Good Store
Look for stores specializing in saltwater fish. They usually take better care of the starfish.
2. Check the Tank
Ensure the tank has clean water and not too many dead animals floating around.
Tips to Keep Your Chocolate Chip Starfish Healthy:
1. Proper Feeding
Give them meaty foods like brine shrimp or chopped mysis shrimp 2-3 times a week.
2. Water Quality
Keep the water temperature stable (72-78°F), salinity right (1.023-1.025), and pH balanced (8.1-8.4). Do regular water changes.
Things to Be Careful About
3. Reef Buffer
Only use a reef buffer if your water pH is a big problem and after testing your water. It can be harmful if not used correctly.
4. CO2 Removal
Ensure your tank has good water flow and gas exchange. You usually don’t need to remove CO2 directly.
Remember: Focus on keeping the water clean, feeding well, and avoiding sudden changes for a happy Chocolate Chip Starfish!
How Much Does the Chocolate Chip Starfish Eat?
They are detritivores and get most of their nutrition from residue, which is decaying organic matter.
- They will scavenge for leftover fish food, dead algae, and other waste products in a tank environment.
- They don’t need to be fed explicitly if the tank has sufficient detritus.
- If the tank is clean and lacks residue, you can supplement their diet with sinking algae wafers or occasional treats like chopped shrimp, but feeding should be minimal and less frequent than every 2-4 weeks.
Also Read:
10 Kinds of Starfish You Can Find In California Waters( A Fascinating Look)
Are Starfish Poisonous? 8 Exciting Facts You Didn’t Know
FAQs
Conclusion:
The Chocolate Chip Starfish lives in warm Indo-Pacific waters and likes sandy areas near seagrass and coral reefs. In a reef tank, starfish food contains brine shrimp or chopped mysis. They might eat corals and small sea creatures. Feeding them is fun since they enjoy foods like squid and shrimp. Give them a mix of foods to keep them healthy.
Keep their tank clean and introduce them to new tanks carefully. With proper care, they can live for 17 to 20 years, adding excitement to any aquarium.
