The Chocolate Chip Starfish, Protoreastor nodosus, also known as the Horned Starfish, features small horn-like projections from its appendages. It has a short and stout body with short and thick arms along with those knobs which resemble chocolate chips - its size and knobs make it almost impossible to swallow whole. 

 

The Chocolate Chip Star eats by excreting their stomach out onto their prey and retracting it back in. They will primarily eat an omnivorous diet consisting of dead plants, algae, sponges, and detritus. Like many other starfish, the Chocolate Chip Star is highly sensitive to water quality conditions and can never be exposed to open air. They should not be paired with predatory fish or with soft corals, tubeworms, and clams as they can eat them. They  require a tank with plenty of sand, rock, and algae. 

 

CARE FACTS
Care Level:	Easy
Temperament:	Semi-Aggressive
Diet:	Omnivore
Reef Safe:	No
Minimum Tank Size:	20G
Max Size:	8 in