I am stumped on this one. My Acan has slowly over the past month been what it looks like eaten from the sides inward. I used a dip when I got it and when I feed it it eats no problem. When the lights are on it looks awesome and is fully out. Not sure what to do with this guy before I loose it.... really bummed..
Acan being eaten alive
- Thread starter laxguy615
- Start date
Henry Colf
New member
Kinda hard to see it. Try using photo bucket the pics will be bigger and it's free. Looks like it's receding to me. Are there any other corals near it that may be stinging it? After the lights go out for the night wait a few hours and then turn them on you may be able to see what's going on. Hope this helps.
FSU3NOLES28
New member
I'm willing to bet that asternia star on your glass is doing it.
Some people don't agree but they overtook my tank and went to town on a bunch of corals including my acan.
Get those things out of your tank ASAP.
Best bet is to flip your lights on at night and siphon them out. Big, small, whatever. Just get them out of there.
You will want to check parameters too but my guess is that the asternias are taking over.
Some people don't agree but they overtook my tank and went to town on a bunch of corals including my acan.
Get those things out of your tank ASAP.
Best bet is to flip your lights on at night and siphon them out. Big, small, whatever. Just get them out of there.
You will want to check parameters too but my guess is that the asternias are taking over.
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DEEP BLUE SIX
New member
"Could" be. Asterina stars are often a plague in some tanks even if harmless. They can multiply rapidly sometimes and really become unsightly once there are too many.
Some may not agree since they don't experience problems with them eating corals. However, the problem is that Asterina stars are actually many different species of tiny starfish. There are at least 30 species described (& probably many more) Most of them "look" just about exactly the same to us.
Some are predatory and some are not. This explains your different experiences described by different people. You never really know what exact type of Asterina star (which is really a generic name) - that you have in your tank(s). The good kind or bad kind.. if any of them are such..
Either way, they get unsightly most of the time once they multiply in your tank. I'd get rid of them all. Hand pick as many as you can get. It will take a while if you have a lot. Some fish may or may not help in ridding them.
In different experiences, I had Asterinas that glided over corals removing algae and other organic material and never ate corals. I also had some Asterinas that did eat corals and they all looked to be the same star fish. Most likely they were not. As it is almost impossible to tell them apart. Since most the species all look pretty much the same visually. The ones that did, went after my zoanthids. So either way, if you have Asterinas.. I'd get rid of them.
Try using a flashlight at night in the dark. To see what may be getting on your corals. I had very fine flatworms of some kind once that were eating an acan. Some were black in color and some were even transparent (clear) like. Many creatures also hide during photo periods. You may have more than one predator and not fully know it.
Also, could be something completely different causing it too. Again, checking your parameters never hurts. Something could have irritated it. Then it may cause a secondary response or disease of a sort/infection.. causing the flesh to recede from the skeleton (die off) a little at a time until eventually nothing is left.
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FSU3NOLES28
New member
Really can't see what's going on there... Pic is too small.
teamdulski
The Saltiest!
I have also personally seen bristleworms eat Acans in way very similar to this. Have you picked up the colony and taken a look underneath?
BuffaloReef
New member
I've never had a problem with asterena stars but there are some problematic species. It's possible something else is bothering it. I'd also suggest looking at night with a flashlight. The stuff you'll see is amazing! You could also try moving the coral.
Any shrimp in there. Peppermints can peck at acans.
What fish are you keeping with them?
I hate to do it since I think atsterinas are cute but I take them out when ever I see them. Can't tell the good guys from the bad guys and some go after my zoanthids either covering the polyp( maybe feeding on expelled zoox and waste or latching to the side and doing damage). Eric Borneman hssome pics in his book Aqaurium corals on the damge they can do to leathers.
Might be getting stung by a nieghbor.
What are your paramters, sg, ph, nitrate and inorganic phaspate nos?
What fish are you keeping with them?
I hate to do it since I think atsterinas are cute but I take them out when ever I see them. Can't tell the good guys from the bad guys and some go after my zoanthids either covering the polyp( maybe feeding on expelled zoox and waste or latching to the side and doing damage). Eric Borneman hssome pics in his book Aqaurium corals on the damge they can do to leathers.
Might be getting stung by a nieghbor.
What are your paramters, sg, ph, nitrate and inorganic phaspate nos?
