Feeding a Starfish
Nowadays, marine scientists call starfish “sea stars”, since they are actually not fish, but echinoderms. There are more than two thousand species of sea stars. Most of them have five arms, but others are blessed with up to forty arms. The stomach and mouth of the starfish are located on its bottom. These animals usually push their stomachs from their bodies, wrapping them around the food for digestion. When learning how to feed a starfish, identify what type your starfish is. If you do not know the variety you own, ask at a local aquarium supply store, read reference books or research online.
Find out what is eaten by your starfish. Some small species feed on naturally growing plants from the aquarium, including algae, while others are either omnivorous or carnivorous. Use long-handled tweezers to put chopped squid, mussels, cockles or prawns close to the starfish. The creature will subsequently move above the food and have it digested. Your starfish must be fed every two-three days.
Reduce the frequency of your feeding if the starfish does not like to eat. Feed your pet more often if it seems to eat voraciously. Put the starfish above the food in case your aquarium is home to other fish, which may steal the food.
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Is your Starfish Still Alive or Already Dead?
In order to tell whether a starfish is alive or dead, you need to observe it. Starfishes do not move frequently, but they move whenever they are fed. The starfish is alive if it is moving. Now, wear a pair of gloves that are waterproof. Gently scoop up the starfish without getting it out of the water. The animal can be stressed by any sudden alterations in its environment, and caused to start disintegrating or to shed their limbs. Being More... Starfish Facts on their Diet
Starfishes are among the most fun- looking marine animals that kids really want to pick when they go to the beach. Because of their appearance, people get more interested about these animals. One of the common questions about starfish facts that kids ask is about the food and the diet of starfishes. The diet of these sea creatures is actually quite interesting because of the variety of food that they eat. There are more than one species of starfishes in More... Creating a Starfish Artwork
When considering making a starfish necklace, put a sheet of paraffin paper atop any plane surface. Use glue for drawing the starfish shape little enough to be used as a necklace pendant. Use a toothpick for fixing the shape, if you unintentionally mess up your drawing. Create a letter “V” out of a paper clip. Place both ends of this clip into the adhesive at the top of any of the arms of your starfish. Sprinkle glitter or sand lightly More... Regeneration and Self Cloning
In general, starfish regenerate by way of a three-stage process. Firstly, the repair stage heals the creature’s exposed wound. This phase is followed by the regenerative stage, in which the body of the echinoderm produces new cells and begins new growth. The final phase is referred to as the advanced regenerative stage, during which significant cell proliferation starts. Growth factors, which are neurally derived, determine the processes responsible for the formation of patterns during the last stage. If anything intervenes More... External Threats
The greatest threat to starfish is similar one which endangers most other seawater animals: human beings. Starfish needs clean and clear water as its habitat. When humans permit water pollutants to flow into the seas and oceans, these species can get extremely unhealthy and even die. In addition, there are several cultures that allow the eating of starfish. In case too many starfishes are brought away from any area, these beautiful seawater creatures will be deprived of the opportunity to More... Starfish Facts on Environmental Dangers and Threats
According to zoologists who study starfishes and their impact to the environment, these sea creatures have a very important role in the oceans. They may look like decorations in the ocean floor but they are actually considered as keystone species because they contribute in creating balance of species under the sea which can be done through predation. With the starfish facts that people already know, it will be a good start to know what these animals do so that people More... Starfish Facts on their Senses
Even if starfishes look very peculiar and different from the rest of the animals that you typically see, they still have typical body functions and processes that other animals commonly share. They also have senses such as seeing, touching, and smelling. These senses may be some starfish facts that you may not have heard before. In terms of vision, starfishes actually have vision sensors which are eyespots that are specially located at the far ends of the starfish’s arms. These More... |