Fromia monilis

Description

Fromia monilis can reach a diameter of about 30 centimetres (12 in). Tips of the arms and the disc center of this starfish are bright red, while the remaining parts are paler, forming large plates.

The appearance of this sea star can be highly variable (colors, plates, presence of plates on the central disc, armtips...), and its identification using picture can be difficult, as many other species (like Fromia nodosa) can have a very similar aspect.

Distribution

This species can be found in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific, from the Andaman islands up to Australia and Japan.

Habitat

It lives in shallow water in rocky environment, at a depth of 0 – 51 m.

Ecology

It feeds on encrusting sponges, detritus or small invertebrates.

Nutrition and management of the aquarium

The species is also considered in reef aquariums. It feeds on the surface of the stones in a thin layers of algae, so it can live only in an old well-ripened aquarium. If the algae are not growing fast enough, supplemental feeding is usually unsuccessful, and this starfish dies of starvation.