Chocolate Chip Sea Star (Protoreaster Nodosus)
Species Name : Protoreaster Nodosus
Care Level : Easy
Temperament : Peaceful
Color : Reddish-brown, White, Yellow
Diet : Carnivore
Reef Compatible : No
Water Conditions : 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
Max. Size : 1' 5"
Origin : Indonesia, Solomon Islands
Family : Oreasteridae
Supplements : Trace Elements
Chocolate Chip Sea Star (Protoreaster Nodosus), commonly known as the horned sea star or Chocolate Chip Starfish, is a species of sea star found in the warm, shallow waters of the western Pacific ocean.
The color of the Chocolate Chip Sea Star may be light to reddish-brown, white, or yellow based on geographical location it hails from. With no distinguishing characteristics to help differentiate male from female Chocolate Chip Sea Stars, breeding in an aquarium is extremely difficult. Like all sea stars, the chocolate chip sea star can regenerate lost limbs, as long as the central disk of the body is intact.
Keep in mind that the Chocolate Chip Sea Star is only appropriate for very large aquariums since it can grow up to 15 inches in diameter. They require a tank with plenty of sand, rock, and algae.
The Chocolate Chip Sea Star should be kept in a large marine aquarium housing mild-mannered fish. Since they are slower moving than most fish, it should not be housed with predatory fish, including Triggerfish and Puffers. The Chocolate Chip Sea Star is not considered reef compatible since adults will eat soft corals, sponges, tubeworms, clams, and other starfish.
The Chocolate Chip Sea Star should never be exposed to air while handling. Also, the Chocolate Chip Sea Star must not be exposed to any copper-based medications and avoid contact with a majority of anti-parasitic medications.
Even though the Chocolate Chip Sea Star is a scavenger, be sure to supplement their diet with meaty frozen (thawed) foods. In the aquarium, the diet the Chocolate Chip Sea Star can consist of chopped clams, shrimp, and squid.
Size: Small: 2" to 3"; Medium: 3" to 4"; Large: 4" to 6"