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Little Shop of Coral

Chocolate Chip Starfish (Protoreaster nodosus)

Chocolate Chip Starfish (Protoreaster nodosus)

$40.00 CAD
$40.00 CAD
Sale Sold out

The Chocolate Chip Starfish is a hardy, eye-catching sea star with raised “chip” bumps and a bold pattern that makes it a favourite in fish-only and invert-focused tanks. It is not reef safe, but it can be a great addition to the right system when you understand what it eats and how it behaves. This species does best in stable, mature aquariums with consistent salinity and a plan for feeding.

Why we love it

  • Classic “feature” starfish with a unique, textured look

  • Generally hardy for a sea star when kept in stable conditions

  • Great fit for fish-only or non-reef setups

Suggested parameters

  • Temperature: 24–26°C (75–79°F)

  • Salinity: 1.025–1.026 SG (stability is critical)

  • pH: 8.1–8.4

  • Alkalinity: 8–10 dKH

  • Ammonia/Nitrite: 0

  • Nitrate: Under 20 ppm (lower is better)

Care and placement

  • Difficulty: Moderate

  • Reef safe: No (will eat corals and some sessile inverts)

  • Placement: Sandbed and rockwork (slow roaming)

  • Tank maturity: Best in established tanks with stable parameters

Feeding

Chocolate Chip Stars are opportunistic predators and scavengers.

  • Offer small meaty foods like shrimp, clam, mussel, and fish flesh

  • Feed 1 to 2 times per week depending on tank size and available food

  • Target feeding helps ensure it is eating in tanks with fast scavengers

Compatibility

  • Safe with most fish that will not pick at it

  • Not recommended with corals, zoas, sponges, clams, or other slow sessile inverts

  • Avoid predators such as harlequin shrimp and some large crabs

  • Keep rockwork stable, sea stars can climb and dislodge loose frags

Acclimation notes

Sea stars are sensitive to rapid changes.

  • Slow drip acclimation is strongly recommended

  • Match salinity closely and maintain stability after introduction

What you are buying

  • You will receive: 1 Chocolate Chip Starfish (Protoreaster nodosus)

  • Pattern and size can vary between individuals

If you are running a reef tank, this species is not recommended due to its diet. For reef safe options, Fromia or Linckia species are usually better choices in mature systems.

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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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