It is known to eat such animals as starfishes, mollusks, crinoids, echinoids, echinoderms, and crustaceans. It lives commensally on starfishes, including the "crown-of-thorns" starfish, "Acanthaster planci". Species such as the sunflower starfishes, brittle stars, and the purple sea urchin are common. There are various types of starfishes found in Sea World. "Pteraster militaris" is unusual among starfishes in that it broods some of its young. People are also allowed to touch the certain types of starfishes under the expert supervision.