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This starfish is listed in Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astropecten_articulatus

My new 50G setup is a single-species display. I'm keeping one captive-bred orchid dottyback and several different maricultured colonies of photosynthetic Stereonephthya to simulate an orchid dottyback biotope in the Red Sea (according to Scott Michael and some diving footage I've seen, they live among soft neptheid corals, like Dendronephthya--but the Stereonephthya look very similar and are infinitely easier to keep).

I've kept species-specific tanks in the past and always liked them, maybe because I started out in FW and kind of cut my teeth on Amano-type displays (not that I ever had the skill to create one!). Especially because I love biotope aquariums, I think of a micro-habitat I want to replicate (or at least create the look of), and stock it accordingly. It definitely requires discipline to stick to the theme and not add anything when I go to a LFS, or a show...on the other hand, it's a lot easier on my bank account to not be acquiring new livestock all the time!

Ive always been obsessed with everything I do. I had a friend that told me I was nuts saying that I was always trying to reinvent the wheel when there was no need to. This is a hobby for people that love solving problems and is the puzzle that never ends.

lol, I had a similar conversation with my wife about turning off the RO-DI system, I told her to turn off the valve on the red line, instead she turned the red valve flushing the membrane....

In my defense, if she turned the red valve instead of the blue one, there would have been a flood on the fish room floor.

Fantastic read, honestly I enjoyed that unfortunately while reading I was busying thinking about how I could make my refugium bigger and possibly relocate it to the other side of the wall behind my tank...then I had to start reading again trying to figure out where i left off.....

Now that's funny, I don't care who you are.

I agree that it is interesting I read this on here today when just yesterday I was thinking about trying to find a database (if there is one) listing fish breeding difficulty in the marine hobby from easiest to most difficult (using some basic standard of course since not everyone is able to even keep some alive) also a handy listing of corals along the same lines would be useful but thats a horse of a different color.....how many of our captive species have even been seen breeding in captivity? there are so many threatened species due to our hobby unfortunately and even after they are caught the odds of them making it alive to your display tank is not on their side, I try to buy captive bred if at all possible but that just isn't possible with most fish species

Multiple tanks can be a chore though...

Interesting you post this. I also have done species specific tanks only in freshwater and have been contemplating something similar with my setup I am building. I want to try and breed a sw species, possibly the bangai cardinal.

"Fellmaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!!" (Yelling like Captain Kirk in The Wrath of Khan)

Hmm, DJ you bring up a great point! There are many ideas I have to feed my "Multiple Tank Syndrome"! It seems that trends and/or practices that were common in freshwater years ago are trickling into the marine side of the hobby slowly and surely. And Shawn, I can totally understand the limiting factors!

As far as the impulse and overstocking thing is concern...I know NOTHING of either!

Seriously, that could be a good basis for a new piece...of course, it would be more like "How to plan for your own impulse buys" or something of that nature! And Marc, I KNOW that you have no experience whatsoever with impulse buys, right? LOL

Don't give Scott any ideas, he may run with them and use me as an example.

Funny you posted this today, I was looking though your photos after you posted about the Manhattan dt last night and saw the bubble coral tank on the desk. This is one thing that I dont feel has made it over to marine tanks that has been a staple in the freshwater part of the hobby for years. A 5gal tank with sand and a pair of shelldweller dwarfs comes to mind as one of my favorites I have keeped in the past, way to many others to write about in a sw forum. A airstone or sponge filter and water changes keep the tank pristine while natural behavior and breeding is un-detured. I really feel the future of this hobby,and possibly the wild reefs, lies with more hobbyist taking this type of approach and learning everything about the species we keep and dont feel this should be limited to the small tanks. Any ho thank again for your incite into the dark corners of the hobby and for making more projects for the fish room. And no Marc your frag tank does not count and maybe Scott should look into a article on" Impulse and overstocking" soon

I have considered a single species tank several times over the years some very practical others, not so much. First, it was frogfish then seahorses then clams then leafy seadragon and most recently flamboyant cuttlefish. the only thing keeping me from actually giving it a try is space and money

I too like the idea of a species tank, but at the same time I appreciate not having to maintain multiple ecosystems at once.

Does my frag tank count? It's full of frags.

A species-specific tank does have a certain appeal. Most of this hobby is a balancing act between the needs of various species, so it would be nice to focus on the needs of only one group. I've given thought to a clam only or perhaps an anemone only aquarium. For me, either scenario would have fish. A clam tank could only have wrasses patrolling the clams for threatening pests, and an anemone tank obviously could have a species of clown.

Great words Scott. Marc first you can fix my upstairs tank and second the downstairs one. lol.

Scott, great entry. I totally agree. So what should the two of us do first (and second)?!

Ive seen quite a few take a beating over those files which I love by the way to house a few myself in the future. You have to love the diy'ers and people dare to be different with out them we wouldnt have any new equipment or new livestock breakthur's to read about. Well put Scott and I would thank for re-inspiring me to go back and finish my aqua-scraping It definitely got negative around here 2 days in the fish room had a negative effect on the wifes attitude. Thanks again for a good read and btw im FIRST