Stareater
Astronesthes zetgibbsi
The Zetgibbs snaggletooth features a translucent body with large eyes, elongated teeth, and distinct dark stripes along its flanks.
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About the Stareater
A small pelagic-oceanic marine snaggletooth (family Stomiidae) known from the South Pacific high seas, reported from roughly 40–120 m depth and reaching about 10.3 cm SL (female).
Also known as
Quick Facts
Size
10.3 cm SL
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Difficulty
Expert
Min Tank Size
300 gallons
Lifespan
unknown
Origin
South Pacific
Diet
Carnivore - small fishes and zooplankton (typical stomiid predator)
Water Parameters
8-18°C
7.8-8.4
8-12 dGH
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Calculate heater sizeCare Notes
- This is a pelagic-oceanic species (reported 40–120 m depth) and is not associated with reef structure; do not assume standard aquarium habitat features (caves/rockwork) are relevant, and captive husbandry is not well documented for this species.
- Feed like a hunter: small meaty marine foods (mysis, chopped shrimp, squid, enriched krill) 3-5x/week instead of huge meals, and use tongs to keep fingers safe.
- Skip freshwater feeder fish and fatty silversides as staples - they foul the tank and wreck nutrition; rotate marine-based foods and add vitamins once or twice a week.
- Tankmates need to be too big to swallow and chill enough not to harass it; avoid tiny fish, shrimp, and anything that pecks at eyes/fins.
- They do best with low flow zones to hang in, but you still need serious filtration and oxygenation because heavy feeding plus a secretive fish equals sneaky ammonia spikes.
- Watch for jaw/face injuries from smashing into glass during light changes and for cloudy eyes after netting - use a dim ramp-up light schedule and a soft container, not a net, when moving it.
Compatibility
Good Tankmates
- Other midwater deepwater predators about the same size (other Astronesthes snaggletooths, some similar bristlemouths) - they mostly ignore each other if they have room and you keep them well fed
- Sturdier mesopelagic types that are not bite-sized (bigger hatchetfish, larger lanternfish) - quick swimmers, not finny, and they do better with the same low-light vibe
- Tough, non-territorial bottom hangers that are too big to inhale (larger cusk-eels or similar deep reef oddballs) - they stay out of the snaggletooth's strike zone most of the time
- Bigger, mellow midwater fish that do not pick fights and can handle cooler, dim setups (some larger cardinal-type fish or other low-light planktivores) - the key is 'not snack sized'
Avoid
- Small fish that fit in its mouth (tiny gobies, small cardinals, small chromis, juvenile anything) - they will eventually disappear, usually at night or when lights are low
- Nippy or pushy fish that harass tank mates (dottybacks, damsels, aggressive wrasses) - they stress the snaggletooth out and can trigger constant sparring
- Slow, long-finned or 'hovering' fish (banners, longfin butterflies, fancy fin shapes) - they get picked at or nailed during feeding lunges
Where they come from
Zetgibbs snaggletooth (Astronesthes zetgibbsi) is a deep-sea stomiid - one of those dragonfish relatives that lives way down in the dark, cold water. You are basically trying to keep an animal built for midnight at a few hundred (or more) meters, where the light is dim, the food shows up when it shows up, and everything is slow.
If you have only kept reef fish or even typical "marine predators," this is a different game. Think cold, dark, and very stable.
Setting up their tank
I would not put one of these in a normal tropical marine setup. The biggest hurdle is temperature and stress. Warm water and bright lights tend to end the story fast.
- Chiller-driven system: aim cold (roughly 39-50F / 4-10C). Pick a target and keep it steady.
- Dim lighting: low ambient room light or a very weak, blue-leaning fixture. Give them real darkness periods.
- Covered tank: tight lid and sealed gaps. Deep-sea fish can spook-launch, and you will not get a second chance.
- Plenty of open water: they are midwater hunters. Use rock decor sparingly and keep it low so you still have swimming space.
- Gentle, broad flow: avoid blasting them with powerheads. Think slow ocean drift, not reef surge.
- Serious filtration: oversized skimmer if your water can support it at low temp, plus big biofilter. These fish are messy eaters when they do eat.
- Stable salinity: 1.024-1.026 is a reasonable range, but stability beats chasing numbers.
- Quarantine setup: you will want a separate cold QT. Moving them between temps is rough, so plan ahead.
Transport and acclimation are where most losses happen. Match temperature first, then salinity. Rushing a deep-sea fish through a warm room in a bucket can be enough to do damage.
Substrate is optional. Bare bottom makes it easier to keep clean and lets you spot uneaten food. If you do use sand, go thin and easy to siphon.
What to feed them
They are predators that key in on movement. Mine ignored pellets and most dead foods at first. Live or "twitchy" foods usually get the first feeding response, then you can work toward frozen.
- Best starters: live ghost shrimp, small live marine shrimp, or live feeder fish from a safe source (not freshwater feeders as a staple).
- Transition foods: thawed mysis, chopped krill, chopped shrimp, silversides cut to size, squid strips.
- Scent helps: soak in clam juice or use a small piece of fresh seafood to get interest.
- Presentation: long feeding tongs and a gentle wiggle. Keep it slow - quick jerks can spook them.
- Frequency: small meals, not big dumps. Deep-sea fish often do better with modest portions every couple days than a huge weekly gorge. Watch the body shape and adjust.
Feed with the room lights low and give them time. If you stand there in bright light tapping the glass, you are basically telling them a predator is hovering overhead.
Uneaten food is your enemy in a cold system. It rots slower, so it can look "fine" while it is still wrecking water quality. Siphon leftovers right after the attempt.
How they behave and who they get along with
Astronesthes are ambushy midwater hunters with a big mouth and serious teeth. They are not "mean" in the territorial sense, but anything that fits can become dinner. They also stress easily, especially with active tankmates.
- Best kept species-only, or with very carefully chosen coldwater fish that are too large to swallow and not hyperactive.
- Avoid fast, nippy fish and anything that competes hard at feeding time.
- Avoid crustaceans you care about. If it moves and fits, it is on the menu.
- Give them hiding dim zones (PVC elbows work) even if they spend most time hovering. They like having a retreat.
Do not mix with tropical marine fish. The temperature mismatch alone makes it a non-starter, and chasing a "middle" temp usually means everyone suffers.
Breeding tips
Honestly, captive breeding is not something I would plan on. Deep-sea stomiids have breeding triggers we do not really replicate at home (depth-related cues, seasonal currents, and food cycles). If someone tells you they are routinely breeding these in home aquaria, I would want receipts.
If you ever see courtship behavior (pairing up, repeated close swimming, changes in feeding), document it. Notes on temperature, photoperiod, and feeding history would be valuable to the hobby.
Common problems to watch for
Most issues come down to stress, temperature swings, and feeding failures. These fish do not "bounce back" the way a hardy reef fish might.
- Refusing food: very common after shipping. Try darker conditions, live prey to kick-start, and reduce disturbance around the tank.
- Mouth injuries: they can bite glass or decor when startled. Keep the tank calm and avoid sharp rockwork.
- Bloat or regurgitation: often from overfeeding large items. Go smaller pieces and slower pace.
- Water quality creep: cold tanks can fool you because things look stable. Test for ammonia/nitrite and keep nitrate from climbing.
- Parasites from feeders: live foods can bring problems. Quarantine feeders when possible and use the cleanest source you can.
- Temperature swings: even a few degrees can stress them. Insulate plumbing, use a reliable controller, and have a plan for power outages.
Have backup power for the chiller and circulation. In a cold marine system, losing flow or temp control for a few hours can spiral fast.
If you are determined to keep A. zetgibbsi, treat it like a long-term project: stable coldwater system, patient feeding work, and low-stress handling. They are incredible fish, but they do not forgive shortcuts.
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