Can Starmie be shiny in Pokemon GO?

Starmie was introduced in Pokemon GO when the game was released in July 2016 and has been hunted by trainers ever since.

While catching Starmie or evolving it from Staryu is relatively straightforward, some trainers may be wondering if it has a shiny variant available.

Fortunately for shiny lovers and searchers, Starmie and Staryu have had shiny variants since 2020. No matter where players encounter the two starfish-like Pokemon, they have a small chance of appearing in their shiny coloration. Starmie, in particular, takes on a blue body with a red outer ring to its central gem.

One unfortunate thing to note is that, at the moment, there are no ongoing events that can help players capture Staryu or Starmie in Pokemon GO.

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Ways to obtain shiny Starmie in Pokemon GO

Shiny Staryu and Starmie in Pokemon GO (Image via Critical Slacker/YouTube)

Pokemon GO's fall content calendar currently includes events such as Día de Muertos, which are focused primarily on spookier Pokemon types (Ghost and Dark).

As a Water/Psychic-type Pokemon, Starmie doesn't naturally fit into these events. However, this doesn't mean it can't be obtained at all. It just means that it will be more difficult to catch, with so many different Pokemon spawning for the ongoing events.

To find Starmie (or at least a Staryu that they can later evolve), players should ideally search for it in watery areas. These include lakes, rivers, and beaches, to name a few.

Using Incense and Lure Module items can also be helpful to some extent. However, their effectiveness in finding Staryu and Starmie will be diminished due to the current events.

If players can exercise patience, they can hold off for ordinary gameplay after the events have concluded. This should see the spawning behavior in the game return to normal, which will make searching for Staryu and Starmie a much easier endeavor. This doesn't guarantee that a shiny will appear, but it should help compared to the constant spawning of Dark or Ghost-type Pokemon.

One guaranteed way to spot Starmie is during Pokemon GO's Water Festival event, but this sadly doesn't occur until summer each year. However, players who don't want to give up on the hunt may have the opportunity to spot a shiny Starmie in the wild, in raids, or as Research Task rewards if they can hold out until then.

Additionally, Niantic may announce a special Spotlight Hour or Community Day event for Staryu/Starmie in the future. However, there's currently no indication that this is in the cards.

At the moment, Pokemon GO trainers will simply have to be diligent and exercise their patience. Staryu and Starmie appear quite often in events focusing on Water or Psychic-type Pokemon. These events will likely take place in the near future, maybe even in 2023. A shiny Starmie is still obtainable before then, but it won't be an easy undertaking.

Be that as it may, persistent players may just be surprised if they're a little lucky. The more Staryu and Starmie one encounters, the more chances they'll have at triggering that small percentage chance that it may be a shiny. If players can at least manage to capture a shiny Staryu, they can evolve it into a glorious shiny Starmie.