This water is taken in through a tiny spot on the upper part of its body, called the madreporite. But these tube feet are capable of more than just movement. They also play a role in respiration and in collecting food. That doesn't stop sea stars, however. They can grasp a mollusk and pull the shells apart slightly using their strength and the suction of the tubed feet.
Digestive juices can turn the mollusk's body to liquid inside the shells, making for a tasty snack.
Cilia lining the arms of the sea star guide the liquidy mollusk into its mouth, which located on the underside of its body. Most of the other tide pool animals can eat very tiny sea stars, but no tide pool animal can eat an adult sea star. Sea stars do have to watch out for hungry birds, and even very big snails in the open sea.