Baby star fish

[monizb]

Hey guys I notice in the past week or so my tank has over populated with white baby star fish all most look like sand sifting star fish maybe I can be wrong I will post some pics later just want to see if these guys are safe

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[Poseidon]

Astrea stars... Usually ok, some have been known to eat zoas

Common way to get rid of them is harlequin shrimp but most don't bother anything

 

[unibob]

Astrea stars... Usually ok, some have been known to eat zoas

Common way to get rid of them is harlequin shrimp but most don't bother anything

+1

I have a harlequin for you when you want them gone


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[monizb]

Ill be picking it up today ")

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[reeferkeeper420]

I think when theres a outbreak of those astrea stars it means high nutrience in your tank?? I could be wrong but i thought i read that somewhere.

 

[Duke]

I have thousands. Their population  just kinda peaks out and holds.. Dunno what people want to get rid of them.. They are nothing but algae eaters

 

[pulpfiction1]

they do help with keeping the glass clean here

 

[Poseidon]

Some are known to eat zoas , that's why ppl want them gone.

I used to have thousands , only ever saw 2 on 1 colony of zoas, so I picked them out, never had trouble with the rest of them

But I know adinfinitum has had sever issues with them

 

[reeferkeeper420]

Ive had a problem with the odd cpl irratating my zoas.. i toss any out i see on any corals just incase.. otherwise they dont bother me. I just thought i read somewhere that there population increases when theres a nutrience spike.

 

[AdInfinitum]

There are tons of species ranging from herbivores to omnivores to carnivores.  I had a problem with some of the many preying on zoas (only certain types of zoas mind you).  I tried kepping my tank zoa free for months to hopefully starve out the predatory species when manual removal failed. But when I put zoas back in the tank they were back munching on select types. 

My final solution was to get another large Frag of the type of zoas that they had just wiped out and put it in the center of a clean acrylic shelf.  Then I removed any Asterinas that went on the shelf and just kept going until no Asterinas went there.  I also kept the shelf free of algae so there was no reason for the good one to go there.

I have since restocked with several types of zoa's and thus far no issues with my remaining Asterinas.

Maybe just my thinking but I would wait to see if they are going to be a problem before you wipe them out good or bad. As I said there are thousands of species and the majority are harmless or beneficial.

Check my thread in the disease/problems category and you will see some pics.  When they attack they don't just walk over and irritate they clamp fully over the head of the zoa and stay there until they digest it down to the rock.  It is a slow process but nothing ambiguous about it.

 

[unibob]

He bought the harlequin, so he can say bye bye to them nice to see you again Brian


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[AdInfinitum]

He bought the harlequin, so he can say bye bye to them nice to see you again Brian


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That'll work too!!

When all your stars are gone sell it to the next guy or it will starve.  No urchins in the tank I hope.  It may eat them too.

 

[unibob]

I know most will "culture" a starfish in there sump for it. A piece of leg once a week.


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[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

urchins will eat the starfish?

 

[unibob]

No the harlequin shrimp will eat starfish and possibly urchins as well.

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

ohhh ok i see some of those lil stars  on the back pane  i have 2 long spine urchins..i dunno whats keeping my star count down

 

[benzzz]

I have had these in the past but havent seen any in my current tank.

I do however have tiny brittle looking stars and at night I see hundreds.  Dont seem to hurt anything.

 

[monizb]

Well Harlequin Shrimp is going to love my tank I don't have high nitrates I have checked make sure all levels are good its a reg weekend thing I do check all levels I'm just want these guys gone just don't want them to kill off any corals



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