The Chocolate Chip Sea Star has chocolate brown bumps on its dorsal surface, which look like chocolate chips, giving the animal the appearance of something you might find in a bakery.

Chocolate Chip Sea Stars are quite hardy. However, they are not considered to be reef safe since they tend to eat corals, clams, and oysters. Conversely, certain large aggressive fish and crustaceans could harass a Chocolate Chip Star. The Chocolate Chip Star is often sensitive to poor water quality. Changes in its behavior or appearance, for example, slowed movement, or refusal of food, could indicate a problem in your system. Although they can be fed meaty items such as shrimp, fish, and clams, this is almost never necessary and may contribute to poor water quality. Chocolate Chip Sea Stars can be useful cleaners and can usually find enough food in aquariums where they are kept.

The Chocolate Chip Star is a sandy or tan shade of brown. It has a thick body with five thick arms. These arms radiate from the center of the animal, making a star shape that is radially symmetrical. Rows of tube-like feet are located in grooves beneath each arm. Atop the dorsal surface, dark, chocolate colored bumps decorate the sea star. On the underside of the Chocolate Chip Sea Star is a mouth that lacks teeth.

Found in the Indo Pacific region, Chocolate Chip Sea Stars are frequently photographed by divers.

Chocolate Chip Sea Stars can do well in temperatures between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit (23 to 26 degrees Celsius). The pH value should remain between 8.3 and 8.4, and the specific gravity should remain between 1.023 and 1.025. Changes in specific gravity can have adverse effects on Chocolate Chip Stars. Chocolate Chip Stars may eat other invertebrates, including soft corals, clams, and snails kept in the aquarium with them. Certain large crabs, lobsters, Trigger Fish, Angel Fish, and Puffer Fish might harass a Chocolate Chip Star. Some aquarists use a feeding stick to offer shrimp, clams, mussels, or krill once or twice each week. The stick is used to place the food where the Chocolate Chip Star can access it. When selecting a specimen to purchase, look for an individual that is not injured. If the Chocolate Chip Star is turned over, it should be able to right itself. If it cannot, it may be weak and should not be purchased.

Chocolate Chip Stars can reproduce by sexual means; however, they can also regenerate through asexual fragmentation. When one part of a Chocolate Chip Sea Star is cut off or detached from the main body, it may grow into a complete animal provided that the amputated part contains some part of the oral disk, while the main body may regenerate a new limb. To reproduce sexually, the sea star will release gametes from pores at the base of each arm. Each arm houses two reproductive organs.