Fromia indica

Acclimation: this is the critical step. It copes very poorly with changes in water chemistry (oxygen, salinity, pH), and many individuals die of bacterial infections after rough handling, too fast an acclimation or prolonged starvation. Acclimate it very slowly by drip and never take it out of the water.

Setup: a mature tank with plenty of live rock, where it constantly forages for microorganisms and detritus. It lives on sand and rock and sometimes climbs among corals.

Tankmates: peaceful and considered reef compatible. It usually lives alone but tolerates its own kind in a large enough tank. Also avoid the harlequin shrimp, a known predator of its close relative Fromia milleporella.

Sensitivities: no copper-based medication. Reeflex even considers it unsuitable for aquariums; LiveAquaria rates it 'moderate'. If it loses an arm, it can regrow it.

Water: aim for 22 to 25.5 °C, a specific gravity of 1.023 to 1.025, pH 8.1 to 8.4 and 8 to 12 dKH.

In the wild it eats detritus, microalgae, small bottom-dwelling invertebrates and other organic matter, and grazes algal turf on hard substrates. It has reportedly eaten weakened fish on the verge of dying.

In the aquarium it feeds mostly on live rock. Supplement with small pieces or pellets of seafood (shrimp, scallop, mussel) or flakes placed near it: prolonged starvation weakens it and favours infections.