Tiny starfish pests starting to take over...

ghstrider · #1 09/07/2007, 12:44 AM

i have these tiny fat grey little starfish (size of a small gemstone) that feel almost rock-like and i take them out when i see them on the glass but after a close inspection of my rock i am noticing they are all over. i dont have a pic yet but i heard they were bad for the tank and that they breed quickly. Does anyone know what im talking about? Name? What should i do? Should i be concerned?

I thought of getting a harlequin shrimp but i dont know if that will help or if it will damage anything else. plus i have a serpent star now and he would become lunch. Input please.

magdelan · #2 09/07/2007, 12:58 AM

They are called Asterina stars. They are harmless. Some people have claimed that they munch on corals, but as far as I'm concerned, It's a wive's tale. I haven't read of anyone personally having that problem. They will multiply, but shouldn't cause your reef any harm.

happyface888 · #3 09/07/2007, 01:04 AM

thoes are usefull for cleanning up, it sucks all mines are gone...

reefer1024 · #4 09/07/2007, 01:04 AM

The name escapes me at the moment I think it stats with an A. I have a whole bunch of them in my tank. Some eat coral, but if you don't see them eating your coral you have nothing to worry about. Most munch algae. Unless you see them doing something bad be happy you have them.

ghstrider · #5 09/07/2007, 01:51 AM

well thats a relief that they are good guys... so i shouldnt be concerned even if they keep reproducing? Also has anyone had 1st hand experience of them munching on corals and if so which ones?? sps?lps?zoos? thanks

Hormigaquatica · #6 09/07/2007, 02:44 AM

If they keep reproducing, it just means you have enough 'stuff' in the tank for them to munch on still. Once you run out of things for them to eat, they will slow down with the dividing. Useful, self-maintaining little critters.

In few instances that people have claimed Asterina stars were damaging their tank, it was almost always SPS coral or Zoanthids. Ive never had any kind of issue, and have never seen any proof that they were the causative agents (note that it is entirely possible, and not uncommon, for them to eat sick/dying polyps though- simply scavenging unhealthy tissue).

Bud's Reef · #7 09/07/2007, 09:37 AM

You should be concerned especially if you have zoas! Here is a link to a discussion of Asterinas decimating zoa colonies. http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...eadid=1180447. Most asterinas are probably reef safe, but I started removing everyone I see once I saw one on one of my zoas. He may have just been passing by but I wasn't going to wait to find out.

RichConley · #8 09/07/2007, 09:45 AM

dp

RichConley · #9 09/07/2007, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bud's Reef
You should be concerned especially if you have zoas! Here is a link to a discussion of Asterinas decimating zoa colonies. http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...eadid=1180447. Most asterinas are probably reef safe, but I started removing everyone I see once I saw one on one of my zoas. He may have just been passing by but I wasn't going to wait to find out.

I wouldnt read too much into that. The Zoa people think everything eats zoas, and are unwilling to admit it when their colonies are angry because of bad water quality. That thread has a colony that definitely is not healthy, and the asterinas are just acting as cleaners, and eating the dying tissue.

IIRC, there are a couple hundred species of asterina, and there are a couple that are coralivores. Theyre all larger (like 1") and more colorful.

Notice on the Garf page linked, that the species eating corals is much larger, and completely different looking.

hyperfocal · #10 09/07/2007, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by magdelan
Some people have claimed that they munch on corals, but as far as I'm concerned, It's a wive's tale.

Well, this damage:

was done by this asterina:

I watched it happen. It's not a myth. Pretty rare from what I've been able to tell, but not a myth.

RichConley · #11 09/07/2007, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by hyperfocal
Well, this damage:

was done by this asterina:

I watched it happen. It's not a myth. Pretty rare from what I've been able to tell, but not a myth.

Right, but thats not the species that most people have, its a completely different one, so saying that "asterinas eat corals", while true, is misleading.

Bud's Reef · #12 09/07/2007, 10:46 AM

I think all advice and experiences here should be taken with a grain of salt, especially mine. As I said most are probably reef safe but if in doubt I'd rather err on the side of removing them.

OmarD · #13 09/07/2007, 10:51 AM

Get yourself some Harlequin shrimp.

Many say they will not touch asterina's, but my vast population of them has all but disappeared since getting shrimp.

See: http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyu...uinshrimp.html

Also: http://homepages.tscnet.com/omard1/aquarium3.htm

hyperfocal · #14 09/07/2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Right, but thats not the species that most people have, its a completely different one, so saying that "asterinas eat corals", while true, is misleading.

Ok, but I didn't say "asterinas eat coral." I replied to a posting saying that the idea of asterinas eating corals was an old wives tale, providing evidence to the contrary. Nothing I said was misleading.

RichConley · #15 09/07/2007, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hyperfocal
Ok, but I didn't say "asterinas eat coral." I replied to a posting saying that the idea of asterinas eating corals was an old wives tale, providing evidence to the contrary. Nothing I said was misleading.

I know, but his post was in response to a post that was basically "OMG, Asterinas eat everything," so by refuting him, you're in a way affirming the other post, which is what I had a problem with.

hyperfocal · #16 09/07/2007, 01:30 PM

Ahhh, ok -- fair enough. I will endeavor to compose with diminished obfuscation of verity. :-D

RichConley · #17 09/07/2007, 01:51 PM

Endeavor on, endeavor on.

vanmo92 · #18 09/07/2007, 02:07 PM

I have like 4 of them in my tank, I cant get them to reproduce, I really like them, but I only see like one a month.

aquarius77 · #19 09/07/2007, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RichConley
the asterinas are just acting as cleaners, and eating the dying tissue.

That statement is very misleading.

The same thing was said about amphipods, it was false as well.

aquarius77 · #20 09/07/2007, 02:38 PM

I have watched "bad water quality" get on top of zoas and munch. I pull them at every chance out of both systems.

GARFVolunteer · #21 09/13/2007, 03:29 PM

A little common sense works well here. If the asterina are not bothering anything then that's great. If they are bothering something, decide which you like better, the asterina or their prey...

The problem with harlequin shrimp is they usually quickly go through the stars in the tank then starve unless they are fed. I know some that keep chocolate chip stars in their sump and cut off a leg every once in a while to feed the harlequin.

I have had asterina attack perfectly healthy coral. Some say they are opportunistic feeders and just happen to attack the same corals over and over. I am an opportunistic feeder myself. I stop and nearly every Krispy Kremes I see.

I eventually removed the capnella to another tank...

Thanks,

Scott

frags on a rock · #22 09/13/2007, 08:48 PM

wow cool pic

supervdl · #23 09/13/2007, 09:09 PM

I have lots of them coming out when the halides get off and they definitly multiplied a lot over the last six months. No ill effect on my tank and corals (see red house).

sean48183 · #24 09/13/2007, 09:52 PM

Harmless and if they are reproducing means your tank is stable and doing well. they are huge algae eaters so that is good. I scrape them off the glass with the algae every few days or so and they don't climb back on the glass untill the algae reappears.