The Gorgonian starfish, also known as the Gorgon-headed starfish, is a beautifully colored creature. The Gorgon’s head starfish is a unique species with a unique name. In the world of starfishes, this species is a relatively rare find. This rarely found sea creature can make for an interesting addition to your aquarium. They are also known as the Crowned Starfish because of the crown-like appearance on their heads.
The name ‘Gorgon’s Head’ was derived from a Greek mythological creature called Gorgons, who were women with snakes for hair. The Gorgon’s Head Starfish has long spines on its body that look like long hair. The name of the genus comes from the Greek words gorgos, meaning “dreadful”, and kephale, meaning “head”. Gorgon starfish, also known as a cushion star, comes in various colors ranging from red to yellow to green, even purple and orange. Some varieties are considered valuable by people who collect these colorful creatures.
They are also known by the name Gorgonocephalus. The common name comes from the appearance of their bodies. The scientific name is given because of its unique body structure. They have arms and a rounded body just like other starfishes but they have a long whip-like protrusion that grows from the top of their bodies.
How To Identify Gorgon’s Head Starfish?
The Gorgon’s Head Starfish is a beautiful starfish that comes in different shapes and sizes. The color of the starfish can be red, green or orange. The starfish can be distinguished by the appearance of a round piece of coral on its body.
It is not easy to identify this species since it has many variations that make it difficult to identify. Some people have the difficulty in identifying this species due to its resemblance with other species like the Patagonia Starfish or the Pacific Sea Star.The first thing that comes to mind when you see this species is the shape of its head. This creature has a long head with two large eyes and two smaller ones.
They have three large arms that grow in a circular pattern around their bodies. These arms can be up to one foot long and can reach up to three feet wide when they’re fully grown.
They have small spines sticking out of their bodies which are used for protection against predators. Their bodies are covered with a thin layer of white skin that makes them appear like they’re wearing clothes or armor plates over top of themselves.
The Gorgon’s Head Starfish is similar in appearance to other species such as the Patagonia Sea Stars and the Pacific Sea Stars but they are not related at all. The Gorgon’s Head is usually orange, but its coloration may vary from brownish to yellowish with dark spots on its body. Sometimes the coloration of Gorgon s Head Starfish is light brown with a darker pattern of brown or black spots all over the body. The spots are really small and look like chocolate chips. These starfish have a unique appearance that makes them look different from other sea stars.
Diet & Feeding Habits
Gorgonian starfish is a carnivore and it feeds on planktonic animals, small crustaceans, bivalves, molluscs, annelids, and other tiny sea creatures. The Gorgonians are suspension feeders, meaning they filter food from the water. They have special filtration structures called calcareous spicules that trap small particles of food which are then passed along to the mouth.
In captivity, Gorgon’s head starfish is fed with chopped shrimp or fish bits and other marine meaty foods such as squid and clams.
Feeding is the main thing that makes the Gorgon’s head starfish an easy pet to keep. These animals are scavengers, so they will eat any dead or decaying fish, meat, or plant matter. The Gorgon’s head starfish are very effective in keeping your aquarium clean from such and therefore a great addition to your aquarium.
In general, the Gorgon’s head starfish are not picky eaters and will consume most things that come their way. There are some minor exceptions to this rule, though. The Gorgon’s head starfish does not like corals and will avoid them as best they can. Gorgon’s Head Starfish is not a picky eater at all. They are known to eat a number of different sea-based animals, including clams, oysters, and mussels. They will also eat other smaller starfish, but they prefer larger shells.
Habitat
The Gorgon’s Head Starfish is not the most beautiful-looking creature. But it is a very interesting one. You can find these starfish in many aquariums around the world. They are native to the Indo-Pacific region. These starfish prefer to live in coral reefs and rocky bottoms. The Gorgon’s head prefers to stay buried in sand or mud.
The gorgon’s head starfish resides in a benthic habitat on the sandy and muddy bottoms of various areas such as bays, estuaries, lagoons, and other areas. It prefers to live in shallow waters and can be found up to the depths of 3ft.
Gorgon’s head starfish spend most of their life attached to a rock or other solid structure. They are only mobile when they are searching for food or looking for a new place to live.
Gorgons are known to occupy the temperate and tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region. They generally live on sandy and muddy substrates, but they can also be found in coral reefs. Their habitat is also shared with other starfish species like leather stars, cushion stars, and reef sea cucumbers.
Since they are found in the intertidal zone of sandy and muddy substrates, their habitat is exposed to sunlight during the low tide time. But since they can lose water quickly due to the lack of a body cavity, they have adapted by developing thick hide to prevent water loss. In addition, they can dig into the sand or mud for protection from sunlight and extreme temperature changes.
Reproduction & Growth
The Gorgon’s head starfish is one of the most unusual species, as it can reproduce both sexually and asexually. The male starfish releases its sperm into the water column that fertilizes the eggs released by the female starfish. These fertilized eggs form a larval stage which then develops into tiny juvenile starfish. The larvae swim freely in water until they find a suitable surface or substrate where they can attach themselves with their tube feet and develop into adult specimens.
When they reach full maturity, they start reproducing sexually or asexually based on the conditions. While sexual reproduction needs two individuals along with environmental conditions to support the development of larvae, asexual reproduction does not require any external conditions for the survival of offspring. It only needs to split itself into two parts for reproduction which are called arm-buds that later develop into juveniles after receiving enough nutrients from the mother body.
The larval development takes place in the water while these juveniles prefer hard surfaces like coral reefs, rocky structures and other hard substrates to anchor themselves. As they grow older, they become sessile and move very little because their tube feet become shorter with age. They can survive for several years without feeding and can live up to 10-15 years in the wild but its longevity is not known in captivity.
Gorgon’s Head Starfish is a slow-growing species, which means it takes a long time to reach sexual maturity. Once attached to a substrate, this species grows slowly at a rate of about 20 mm per year and can live for about 25 years. The growth rate does not vary with sex or gender.
Predators & Threats
Gorgonian Sea stars are usually hidden inside the sea grasses and corals. They are not aggressive and mostly prefer to be hidden from predators. These creatures cannot run away or hide from their predators like other invertebrates. They have to rely on their camouflage abilities to hide from predators. The major predators of the Gorgon’s head starfish include the sea otters, crabs, fish and the sea urchins.
Although the starfish has a number of predators, these don’t have a significant effect on their population as compared to the human induced threats. Gorgon’s head sea stars live in shallow areas where they are vulnerable to predation by many predators like crabs, octopuses, sea spiders, fish and other large predatory marine animals. Gorgon’s head sea stars generally feed on brine shrimps, copepods, daphnia and other small fish.
Humans are another threat to these animals as they are often caught in fishing nets, or they become trapped in the nets set out to protect oyster populations.The major predators of Gorgon’s Head Starfish are the small fishes and birds. Other than that, there is a lack of information about the other threats to these echinoderms.
The Gorgon’s Head Starfish is not an endangered species yet. However, their population has declined in the past few decades due to water pollution, global climate change and habitat loss
Aquarium Care- How To Maintain Tank For Gorgonocephalus?
The Gorgon’s Head Starfish is considered as an easy pet. It does not require any special care for its maintenance. So, you should know that it is one of the easiest starfishes to care for. However, before you go ahead and buy this starfish, you need to learn how to properly maintain it in your aquarium.
Gorgonocephalus are extremely easy to keep. Just make sure the water parameters are kept stable and that there is plenty of room to roam.
Tank Size
The first thing which you need to consider when setting up an aquarium for the Gorgon’s Head Starfish is its tank size. The good news is that it does not require a large tank for survival. All you need is a small 20 gallon fish tank for keeping this starfish.
However, if you want to keep more than just one Gorgon’s Head Starfish in your aquarium, then you need to increase the size of the tank accordingly. You can easily keep up to 4 or 5 of these starfishes in a 30 gallon fish tank or larger.
Tank Mates
Gorgonocephalus is a peaceful species and can be kept with small fish or invertebrates. However, it is not safe to keep them with slow moving fish. The Gorgonocephalus has a venomous sting, which can kill its tank mates. So, it is better to keep them in a reef tank, where they will feed on dead fishes as well as consume the algae growing on the corals.
Temperature
The ideal temperature for keeping Gorgonocephalus is from 20 to 24 degrees Celsius (68-75F). You can use a heater in your tank to maintain the temperature.
Waterflow
This starfish has a very low waterflow requirements. Therefore, you will have to create a low flow in your tank, especially if it is a reef aquarium. Otherwise, the corals will not survive.The current in the tank should be strong, and you should give extra care to the water flow in your tank. If there is no sufficient flow in the tank, it can lead to clogging, which can cause infection. Make sure that at least 5% of the total volume of the water is changed daily. Also, try to keep a high-quality protein skimmer in your tank to remove all the waste products from the water and help in maintaining high quality.
Lighting
Lighting levels are low for this species. Therefore, adjust the light so it does not affect the health and growth of the corals and other invertebrates in your tank. Due to their shallow nature, they do not need much lighting. Provide them with low lighting conditions. They will also look good when you provide them with a dim light or blue light in your tank.
Decoration
This starfish can live on any substrate as long as there is enough space for them to move around and search for food. You can decorate your tank by placing sand or gravel at its bottom and adding live rocks for hiding and sheltering purpose. You can also use various corals for decoration purposes, but make sure that all these corals are safe for them.
Titling
Make sure that you do not overstock your tank with other fish species because they have a very slow growth rate. If you want to keep them with other fish species then keep those that are not aggressive and large in size. This will help you to create an environment similar to their natural habitat.
Interesting Facts About Gorgon Head Starfish
- The Gorgon’s Head Starfish is one of the most beautiful starfish species in the world. It is a large and colorful starfish.
- They do not have any eyes or mouth but have a very special feature -their tiny feet help them clean the area where they live.
- Gorgon’s head starfish prefer to live in large groups. They use their feet to stick themselves to hard surfaces such as rocks and corals so that their food does not float away from them when there is a current in the water.
- The diet of these creatures mainly consists of sponges and algae; however, they can also consume small invertebrates if available near them!
- Gorgon’s head starfish is one of the most appealing starfish species. They are often referred as Crown of Thorns and they are well-known for their stunning beauty, colorfulness and amazing look.
- It has a small body and it is covered in plates that are covered in spines. This creature has a wide range of colors, including green, blue, pink, orange, white and purple.
- While this species is commonly called “Gorgon’s Head Starfish,” it is also known as “Gorgonella Amplexicaulis” and “Gorgonella Dendritica.”
- The gorgon’s head sea stars also have tube feet on the bottom side of their bodies which help them move about on substrate and unlike most other species of echinoderms they do not have spines on their outer surface.
- Because of its common name and appearance, it is often confused with the chocolate chip sea star (Protoreaster nodosus) but they are not related at all.
- The Gorgons-head starfish is one of the prettiest starfish in the world. The spectacular coral-colored legs and beautiful patterns make it a popular addition to any saltwater aquarium.
Gorgon’s Head Starfish-Related FAQs
What is a Gorgon head starfish?
Gorgon head starfish is an extremely beautiful and unique variety of starfishes. They have a very interesting and attractive appearance. Gorgon head starfish is also known as Chocolate chip starfish. It is one of the most popular marine animals. But only a few people know its exact name. The average length of this starfish is around 5 inches.
The chocolate chip starfish has a number of names such as the chocolate chip sea star, the chocolate chip starfish, and the gorgonian sea star. The name crown-of-thorns was given because of the spines on its body. These spines can cause cuts and injuries if you come in contact with them.
Are Gorgon’s head Stars poisonous?
Gorgon’s head starfish are not poisonous. They are edible and also used in some medicines as they contain a good amount of calcium. They don’t have any venom in their bodies and can be safely handled and touched with bare hands. They will not bite you, so there’s no need to worry about that.
Do Gorgon’s Head starfish have a brain?
The answer is, yes, they do. But it’s not as big as ours. A starfish has a centralized nervous system, and a brain of sorts, called radial ganglia. It’s located in the oral disc at the base of the arms, which is their mouth. The arms have sensors on their tips that send data back to these ganglia.
The Gorgon’s Head has a small brain located just behind its eyes that controls its movements and senses. The brain makes it possible for them to recognize predators, find food sources, communicate with other members of their species, and much more!
What color is a Gorgon’s Head starfish?
Gorgon’s head starfish can be found in different colors, including red, purple, brown, orange, and green. The Gorgon’s Head Starfish has a distinct color pattern that makes it easy to identify. A Gorgon’s Head starfish has a central disk that is usually orange in color, with orange or purple-colored arms with white markings on them. The arms are usually spiny and have points at the end of them, which makes it easy for them to move along the ocean floor or along rocks.
The base color of the Gorgon’s head starfish is red or pink with some brown coloration. They have a combination of white and yellow on the arms with small spines that are brown in color. The tips of the arms are white or pale yellow, while their mouth area is covered in purple or pink coloring.
What is the size of a Gorgonian starfish?
The Gorgonian starfish is a beautiful creature that can grow up to 50 cm (20 in) in height. It has a very unique appearance, as it looks like a giant starfish with thousands of tiny arms connected together.
What does a Gorgonian Starfish look like?
The Gorgonian Starfish has a unique appearance from other sea creatures. It has five or more arms and its body is covered with short spikes. The most interesting thing about this starfish is that it has no eyes and mouth.
Can Gorgonian starfish survive out of water?
This species cannot survive out of water for short period. It has tube feet instead of gills, which means it needs to be in water so that it can breathe through its tube feet.
Some Gorgonian Starfish are not good at handling air time and some specimens will die if exposed to air for more than a few minutes. More resilient Gorgonians can tolerate being out of water for up to 2 hours.
Conclusion
The Gorgon’s Head Starfish is a special starfish that is quite unique-looking. This fascinating creature can make for a thrilling addition to your aquarium so long as you take some precautions necessary for its welfare. With proper Gorgon’s Head Starfish care, feeding, and tank maintenance you should be able to enjoy these guys for a long time.