Little Shop of Coral
Red Fromia Starfish (Fromia Elegans)
Red Fromia Starfish (Fromia Elegans)
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The Red Fromia Starfish is a beautiful, reef safe sea star with rich red colour and a clean, classic shape that stands out against live rock. Fromia stars are best kept in mature, stable systems because they rely heavily on natural biofilm, microfauna, and sponge-like growth on rockwork and glass. They are peaceful and coral safe, but they are not a beginner invert due to specialised feeding needs and sensitivity to sudden changes.
Why we love it
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Vibrant red colour and a true “feature” reef-safe invert
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Peaceful and safe with corals, fish, and most inverts
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Great addition to mature reefs with lots of established live rock
Suggested parameters
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Temperature: 24–26°C (75–79°F)
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Salinity: 1.025–1.026 SG (stability is critical)
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pH: 8.1–8.4
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Alkalinity: 8–10 dKH
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Ammonia/Nitrite: 0
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Nitrate: Under 10–15 ppm (lower is better)
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Phosphate: Keep low and stable
Care and placement
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Difficulty: Advanced
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Reef safe: Yes
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Placement: Live rock and glass surfaces (slow-moving grazer)
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Tank maturity: Best in well-established tanks (6+ months, ideally older) with abundant live rock and natural growth
Feeding
Fromia stars typically do not accept prepared foods reliably. They graze on natural growth in the tank.
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Primary diet is biofilm, microfauna, and sponge-like growth on live rock
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Not recommended for new or ultra-clean systems
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Avoid overstocking “biofilm grazers” to reduce food competition
Compatibility
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Peaceful with fish and corals
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Avoid predators such as harlequin shrimp and some large crabs
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Keep away from aggressive pickers that may harass it
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Do not expose to air during handling when possible, and avoid sudden salinity swings
Acclimation notes
Sea stars are very sensitive to rapid changes in salinity and temperature.
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Slow drip acclimation is strongly recommended
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Match salinity closely and keep stability high after introduction
What you are buying
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You will receive: 1 Red Fromia Starfish (Fromia milleporella)
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Pattern and colour can vary between individuals
As with all echinoderms, stability is everything. A mature tank and careful acclimation are the best predictors of success.
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LIGHT
LOW: Place coral at the bottom of the tank. Depending on the type, coral may need to be placed off sand and therefore mounted on a ceramic disc of piece of rock.
MEDIUM: Place coral at mid-range of the tank. Best placed/glued on top of a rock scape at mid-range height.
HIGH: Place coral from mid range to just below water level. SPS coral are shallow growing so they require and are able to tolerate intense light.
FLOW
LOW: Most soft coral do well with a small, gentle pulse. There are certain corals that can even be placed in areas of indirect flow, meaning places aside a rock structure or set into a entrance to a cave style space.
MEDIUM: Many LPS types of coral prefer medium pulse current. Most Euphyllia or corals that have more tissue structure connected to their skeleton, don’t like to be in a high flow area like the direct flow of the wave pump.
HIGH: Similar to high light, SPS enjoy being in some heavy current. Most LPS and SPS that branch encrust or plate prefer high flow that simulates the top water waves.
SKILL
ENTRY: While some may say beginner level, "Entry" is a good term to be used when starting out in the world of corals and marine life. Prior to adding livestock, you want to ensure that your reef has the proper parameters including zero levels of ammonia and nitrite. Seeing traces of nitrate in your waters is a good sign - just keep them at a lower level of 2ppm to 10ppm. Maintaining correct temperature and salinity are a huge factor to stable parameters. Starting to monitor your PH, alkalinity, calcium and magnesium is a great habit to get into to keep a successful reef.
While some soft coral don’t require too much light, having a proper reef light that puts out the proper pars is very important. You'll also want to have a good amount of flow and protected rock areas, as placing corals in their happy spot is ideal for success.
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