What does a seastar eat?

Answer 1

There are a great many different species of seastars, or starfish, and they are found from artic to tropical seas, some at great depths and others in very shallow water. They vary greatly in size, color, and shape, and eat a wide range of things. Some are prey specific, eating only one kind of food, but most eat several kinds of food, and many are scavengers, with an extremely varied diet. Bivalves, like clams, are a favorite food for many starfish species. These starfish are able to slowly force open their prey, and actually insert their digestive organs into the clam.

Starfish have amazing regenerative abilities. When torn in half, each half can become a new starfish. Even a single 'arm' can grow into a new starfish, but with the new limbs much smaller. These are sometimes called 'comets' because of their unusual appearance, and often mistaken for a different species. Few things eat starfish, but some, like the 'Triton's Trumpet' (Charonia) prefer them over any other food. In areas where these animals are collected for their beautiful shells, there is often an explosive growth in the starfish population, frequently causing great damage to other life forms.