Modern Uses
Based on starfish facts, these animals are definitely very useful in keeping the equilibrium and balance in the food chain under the sea. These animals have a very wide preference when it comes to their diet which is why they can help control the number of opportunist organisms in the oceans. But aside from their usefulness in the environment, there are also other uses of these starfishes by humans.
A common use of starfishes today is in the seawater aquariums. A lot of establishments who own seawater aquariums really love to incorporate a few species of starfishes in them because of their colors and their appearances. But when using starfishes in aquariums, it is important to use seawater only as starfishes will die in fresh water. If live starfishes are used to decorate aquariums, dried starfishes are actually used as decorations at home as well.
There are also places where starfishes are being sold as collectibles. Most of them have already been taken out of the sea and dried so that tourists can easily bring them back to their homes. But an unusual use of starfishes is as food in places like Japan. But eating starfishes should be done with caution since most species have toxins in their bodies.
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Structure of Body
Starfish is not really fish because fish is composed of backbones, fins and gills. Starfish is an echinoderm, which is an invertebrate that has a proportional radial body. Instead of scales, starfish species are mostly equipped with a leathery, rigid skin, which protects them against the attack of predators like birds and fishes. Calcium carbonate makes up the skin of all starfishes. Most of the starfish species are equipped with five arms, which extend out of a central point; nonetheless, More... Preserving a Starfish
The first thing that you will do when preserving the starfish is cleaning it. Use a little mild soap and warm water for washing the starfish. Soak the animal for about forty-eight hours in rubbing alcohol. You do not have to clean the creature first, but you may choose to do so. If rubbing alcohol is not what you prefer to use, you may alternatively use a mixture of five parts water and one part formaldehyde. This solution will give More... Starfish Facts on Physical Characteristics
When you look at a starfish, you can easily be captivated by its appearance. There are thousands of species of starfishes that you can find and only a few of them are those that you see on the shorelines. Most of them are found on the seabed where they can easily catch prey. The seabed is also where you can find species of starfishes with very interesting physical features. One of the starfish facts about its appearance is that the More... Hunting Techniques
Starfish facts indicate that these animals have a generalist diet which means that can eat almost anything from clams and snails to dying fishes. But with the speed of these starfishes on the bottom of the ocean, one would definitely wonder how these animals can catch or hunt their prey. Starfishes begin hunting their prey through their keen senses. They can actually detect the presence of a prey’s odor. So when their senses detect prey, the legs begin to act More... Handling Dead Sea Stars
Also referred to as sea stars, starfish are marine echinoderms that you can find on tide pools and beaches across the globe. National Geographic reports that there are more than two thousand species of starfish, though they all have the same physical appearance, which is composed of brittle and boney calcified skin. In the event that you find this creature, either dead or alive, you must handle it very carefully so that its fragile arms, will not be injured or 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 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... |