Starfish are also known as sea stars as they have a rigid and bony skeleton. It makes it hard for many animals to find and prey on starfish. But starfish have many predators. So let’s see in this article “what eats a starfish”?
What animals eat starfish?
There are top 6 predators of starfish.
Sea turtle
Sea turtles are the large predators of the starfish. The leatherback is the type of a turtle that reaches up to 9 feet with 1500 pounds. They can live in water for 5 to 40 minutes until they find the starfish to eat.
Although the turtle enjoys eating fish, sea stars, worms and also plant based food. When the turtle is getting old, it tends towards an herbivorous diet.
Sea turtles may readily break the stalks of a starfish with the help of their razor-sharp nib and strong jaws. When it catches the starfish, a turtle cannot flee the reptile’s grips. If the turtle holds a whole sea star in its jaws, the starfish can pull off a limb, but the turtle cannot flee if this occurs. Because of their sluggish motion, turtles often prefer starfish as prey. Oversized turtles can consume a starfish’s entirety, but smaller turtles may slowly shift them over and consume the fleshy side.
Sharks| What Eats A Starfish
Sharks are peak predators that are infamous for eating large portions of meals. They are genuine oceanic predators. Some devour plankton, while others chase bigger fish and ground animals. They sometimes consume the lazy sea stars that live on the seafloor.
Sharks consume the starfish that creep near the ocean floor. Nevertheless, not all sharks consume sea stars. A few sharks, such as the babysitter, funnel, and Port Jackson sharks, eat starfish. These sharks own strong enough jaws to crack through the starfish’s hard skinny outer cover and eat the flesh. There isn’t considerable meat there, and most sharks, like squid and other animals with smooth bodies, eat them since they are easier to catch.
Sharks rarely eat starfish because more is needed to fulfill their nutritional needs. The light amounts of meat in starfish’s skinny bodies cannot fill a giant shark’s hunger. You may frequently discover sharks hunting fish, octopuses, and smaller sharks. Starfish are a portion of their diet if they do not have additional food.
Lobsters
The lobsters are important food chain partners, characterized by their long bristles, lean, muscular buttocks, and thin legs. The lobsters’ antennae are beneficial for their eating practices. The most miniature antenna can aid it in determining if its target is suitable, while the lengthier one can support it in becoming more aligned to its surroundings.
Lobsters eat starfish, clams, and mussels. Since they may be seen in various locations, they are widely spread. These starfish lovers may be on seafloors, filling themselves with fish and additional food.
The sea star’s powerful exoskeleton provides little protection than the lobster’s “tooth.” Three teeth of lobsters break the strong shell of the starfish in the stomach. An oversized lobster, nevertheless, can consume an entire starfish.
Manta rays
The manta beam is famous for keeping fins corresponding to funnels, giving them a ‘bad’ characteristic. Manta rays are usually known as manta because of this. Considerable dark-brown or black sea animals related to sharks and devilfish rays are most typically detected in the warm oceans enclosing islands.
As they do not have teeth, they can consume by filtering food via their jaws. The manta beam is a filter influent that consumes marine food stopped in the water. The starfish’s delicate flesh and tough exoskeleton are palatable to the devilfish ray. Since coral reefs contain starfish, they usually feed nearby because they have a lot of food there.
The manta beam species are now considered endangered since delivering to pop takes around a year. The manta rays are highly reduced due to environmental issues. Nevertheless, Manta rays are one of the top predators of starfish.
Red king crabs| What Eats A Starfish
Red king carbs are known as the largest among all the crustaceans. The common king crabs are about 28 pounds. For catching prey, it also owns a pair of paws. They mash targets with oversized feet, whereas food is taken with smaller claws.
King crabs have different sizes so their nutritional needs are also different. Small crabs mostly eat clams, algae and worms while larger ones mostly prefer to eat other animals.
Red king crabs consume starfish, barnacles, mussels, and other crabs. Before eating starfish, they scatter its parts into bite sized pieces. It is the easiest way for them to consume a starfish.
Starfish
It is surprising that starfish also eat other starfish. The bigger one prey upon the little one when food is unavailable. They grab their prey with strong arms against the underside, where the stomach is located, and Devore the target. After that, they ingest food in the body cavity.
Conclusion: What Eats A Starfish
You know that starfish, often considered challenging predators, are the targets of other aquatic organisms.
From the study, it is clear that several predators prey on starfish as a food source. Marine mammals, such as oceanic otters, have been marked preying on starfish in specific regions. Particular invertebrates, like crabs and some types of birds, also consume these starfish.
Predators that ingest starfish help maintain their populations, controlling potential overgrazing of algae and other invertebrates that could disrupt the ecosystem’s balance.