How do starfish eat for kids?

Starfish have one of the most amazing and unique ways of eating in the entire ocean! Instead of chewing their food inside their bodies like we do, they actually push their stomachs outside their bodies to eat their meals.

What's on a Starfish's Menu?

Starfish are big fans of delicious seafood! They especially love to eat shelled animals that live on the ocean floor.

Here are some of their favorite foods:

The Starfish's Amazing Eating Trick

This is where it gets really cool and a bit surprising! A starfish's mouth is located on its underside, right in the middle of its body. But how do they eat big clams or oysters with such a small mouth? Here’s their incredible secret:

1. Finding Food: A starfish uses its strong arms and hundreds of tiny tube feet to find and move towards yummy treats like clams or oysters.
2. Getting a Grip: Once they find their meal, they use their powerful tube feet to attach firmly to the clam's shell. They then pull on the shell with incredible strength, sometimes for hours, until the shell opens just a tiny crack.
3. Stomach Out!: This is the wildest part! When the shell is slightly open, the starfish pushes its stomach out through its mouth and right into the clam's shell. Imagine if you could push your tummy outside your body to eat a sandwich!
4. Digestion Outside: The stomach wraps around the soft part of the clam or oyster. Special juices, called enzymes, come out of the stomach. These enzymes work like magic to break down the food outside the starfish's body, turning it into a soupy liquid.
5. Pulling it In: Once the food is all soupy and digested, the starfish pulls its stomach (with the now-digested meal) back inside its body to finish absorbing all the nutrients.

Why Eat This Way?

This special trick helps starfish eat food that might be too big to fit inside their small mouths. It also allows them to eat shelled animals without having to crunch through their hard shells! It’s a very clever and effective way for them to get their dinner.