Small White Coral Eating Starfish

[FishDaddy]

Some time ago, I posted about some small white starfish in my 55. Mine had 3 or 4 deformed looking legs. Others reported having these but knew of no problems. I just ran across this article on GARF that says these critters have a taste for coral, especially SPS! http://www.garf.org/news27p2.html#tweezer
Looks like I may have to go on a star hunting trek!
Dick

[rshimek]

Hi,

First, Don't Panic!

Unless you see them on your corals, they aren't eating your corals. Most of the small stars in our tanks are harmless scavengers.

Many of these smaller species reproduce by fission, which causes "deformed legs" and these are NOT an indicator that can be used for identification.

Finally, and as an overall caveat, I would take any information from GARF with a grain of salt - with the grain being about a meter on a side.

Cheers, Ron

[FishDaddy]

Thanks Dr. Ron,
I knew I could count on you to shed authoritative starlight on the subject! The Garf article is the first I've seen that gave any info about them.
I've not seen them on my corals. They appear from time to time on rocks or the glass and have exhibited no inclination to attack coral. I wasn't really worried about them as I have no SPS, just softies and LPS.
Thanks for the reassurance.
Dick

[O'Man]

I got them in my tank a couple of years ago when I purchased some GARF Grunge(tm). Never noticed any problems. Have seem them eating detritus and located on the glass, rocks and sand bed. Not the SPS. They are prolific, when I used established sand from tank 1 to seed 2 & 3 they came with it. Do not believe they are a problem.

[Pikaboo]

You know... I remember you posting about that. and I did mention that I saw that they might be bad since I saw it somewhere. I guess GARF was where I read the thing.

Seeing all the responses that they are probably not predatory... makes me feel much better. But then... it also makes me wonder.... why in the world would GARF think that these things eat their SPS???

FishDaddy: I'm glad you don't have to go hunt for your stars.

[rshimek]

Hi Pikaboo,

Garf could think they are eating their sps 'cause they have a different star (which is why I suggested noticing if you can see them on your corals, and if so, can you notice any actual damage).

The other alternative is that they simply haven't a clue what the stars are doing.

Cheers, Ron