Red Luzon Sea Starfish

Quick facts

Identity

Also known as

Luzon Sea Star; Orange Sea Star; Red Starfish

Synonyms

Echinaster luzonicus

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Indo-Pacific, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, East Africa, Madagascar

Habitat

Shallow coral reefs, reef crests, intertidal and reef flat areas with rubble, sand, and live rock

Sourcing

Wild-caught

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

3 – 8 in (7.6 – 20 cm)

Lifespan

2 – 5 yrs

Min tank

30 gal (114 L)

Growth rate

Slow

Placement

Bottom

Water

Temperature

75 – 82 °F (24 – 28 °C)

pH

8.0 – 8.4

dKH

8 – 12 dKH

Salinity

1.023 – 1.026 SG

Flow

Low-Moderate

Behavior & compatibility

Social

Solitary

Aggression to own kind

Low

Active

Night

Reef safe

Yes

Invert safe

With caution

Shrimp safe

With caution

Clean-up role

Algae, Biofilm, Detritus

Population boom risk

Low

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Omnivore

Foods

Algae, Biofilm, Frozen

Breeding type

Broadcast spawner

Breeding difficulty

Not bred in captivity

Sexing

Sexes are not externally distinguishable; gonochoric but this species also reproduces asexually by arm autotomy

Target feeding

Beneficial

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Care guide

Overview

Reef flats and rubble zones across the Indo-Pacific and Philippines supply this deep orange-to-red sea star, occasionally with more than five arms, to the trade. It creeps slowly over live rock and sand grazing biofilm and detritus, tolerating little swing in salinity, pH, or oxygen. Keepers must avoid air exposure and copper treatments entirely.

Care

This sea star does best in a mature, well-established reef aquarium with abundant live rock and sand where it can graze continuously on biofilm and detritus. It is sensitive to swings in salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen, so stable, pristine water quality is more important than any single parameter. Copper-based medications are lethal to it and must never be used in a tank housing this species or its future quarantine system.

Feeding

In the wild it grazes on bacterial films, algae, and organic detritus over sand, rubble, and rock. In captivity it benefits from supplemental feeding of dried seaweed, small pieces of clam or shrimp meat, and other meaty marine foods placed near its body so it can absorb them slowly. Because it is a slow grazer, it needs a tank with enough standing biofilm and detritus to forage between feedings.

Tank mates

Generally peaceful and safe with corals, fish, and most other reef invertebrates, though very small ornamental shrimp or slow snails could occasionally be preyed upon opportunistically. Avoid keeping it with aggressive crabs, large wrasses, or puffers that may pick at its arms. It should not be combined with copper-treated fish or invertebrates recovering in a medicated system.

Breeding

Reproduction in aquaria is almost always asexual, through spontaneous or induced autotomy of an arm, which then regenerates a new central disc and additional arms over several weeks. Sexual reproduction with planktonic larvae has been documented in the wild but is not achievable in home aquarium settings. Hobbyists occasionally propagate specimens intentionally by separating a healthy arm segment with part of the central disc.

Health

Arm loss from stress, poor acclimation, or physical injury is common but not necessarily fatal, since the star can usually regenerate lost arms if the central disc remains intact and water quality is good. Exposure to air, rapid salinity or temperature shifts, or copper medication can cause fatal tissue damage. A shrinking or discolored disc, disintegrating arm tips, or a persistent bad odor from the animal are signs of a failing specimen.

Sources

1. Echinaster luzonicus - Wikipedia
2. Luzon Sea Star (Echinaster luzonicus) – Complete Care Guide | Reeflings
3. Echinaster luzonicus - SeaLifeBase
4. Echinaster luzonicus Luzon Sea Star - Reeflex

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