asterina(small white starfish) good or bad

[biecacka]

Yeah they reproduce like crazy. I feel like I have hundreds and I hate them. But I don't want to try to catch a harlequin shrimp afterwards. ::lol:
However, I don't think they will eat you serpent star.

Corey

 

[billdogg]

Have them, love them, send them to me. If one tank runs low I'll catch some from the other to even them out. Been doing it that way for 25+ years without issue. Hth

 

[biecacka]

Bill, what do you think are the advantages of them in your system?

Corey

 

[jbenefield13]

asterina(small white starfish) good or bad

Tuning in, I have hundreds in my biocube. I have no problem with sps in my tank but can't keep a zoa alive. Suspicious, never thought anything of them.

 

[simpleman98]

My experience has been that the ones that have red or blue on them will eat zoas. Regular white/beige eat coralline which is a bonus for me. Also IME if they are in excess they are an indicator of excess nutrients, just like red planaria.

 

[billdogg]

Bill, what do you think are the advantages of them in your system?

Corey

The only things I've ever seen them eat is film algae off the glass, coraline, and detritus.


You ever gonna be ready for frags? (That, btw, are becoming full grown colonies ready to be re-fragged?:spin3

 

[AZRippster]

Certain ones definitely eat zoas and at the very least, tick off palys. I've had entire colonies decimated by them (I've watched it happen). From what I have read and been told, certain ones do this while the vast majority are benign. I don't know why, but the ones I have are particularly fond of tubs, rastas, and pretty much any of the brighter and more colorful zoas. They tend to stay of the green and earth tone varieties. I picked up a harlequin to go after them, which he has, but stays on only one side of the tank which is opposite where I really have the problem. The harlequin began eating immediately and has grown considerably.

 

[gone fishin]

FWIW about 6-8 months ago I noticed some grayish/ slate colored ones on some of my stylophoras. I really did not pay much attention until I started seeing bare spots where they were or had been. I have never had any problems with them up until that point. I ultimately ended up getting a pair of harlequins.

 

[cloak]

Until somebody can distinguish the bad ones from the good ones without a doubt, I'll continue to treat them all as bad. Also, one thing I've noticed over the years is that those who say that they don't have any problems with these stars usually have very large tanks. The damage these things might be doing can easily go unnoticed in these systems. Put a bunch of these stars in a fully stocked nano tank and I'd be willing to bet that a lot of these hobbyists would change their tune. JMO, GL.

Links like the ones below were created for a reason and I don't think being harmless had anything to do with it.

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/45-reefkeeping-101-

http://www.coralpedia.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=1426

http://chucksaddiction.thefishestate.net/ (Info Links > Hitch Hikers > Starfish)

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/asterinafaqs.htm

 

[biecacka]

Yes Bill. I'm thinking next weekend. My water test day is tomorrow and last week my nitrates had dropped to the 25-50 range. Looking much closer to the 25 area. I want to get them a tad bit lower before I put em in. I figure if I can get them to <25 then they will be okay while I continue to drive them down.

Corey

 

[AZRippster]

Also, one thing I've noticed over the years is that those who say that they don't have any problems with these stars usually have very large tanks.

I'm not sure what constitutes a very large tank, but I have a 450 and those suckers have been very problematic. When I realized they were nailing my zoas, I would knock them off with an acrylic rod. Now I use a more commercial grade Julian's Thing to blow them off. Much less prone to damaging the specimens you're trying to save. I should have gotten 2 harlequin, but I wanted to be sure to be able to have enough food for them down the road. For now no worries, and I want to keep it that way.

 

[biecacka]

450 gallons......tiny! :lol:
Yeah I knock em off or pick them out when I can. I'm going to get a harlequin shrimp I think though for my nano (240)

Corey

 

[cloak]

If you guys are having problems with them in a 450 and a 240, then I can only imagine what might happen in a 225 and a 120.

 

[Sk8r]

I think if you have zoas, worry. I've never found them to be a problem with lps.

 

[cvore2004]

Yeah they reproduce like crazy. I feel like I have hundreds and I hate them. But I don't want to try to catch a harlequin shrimp afterwards. ::lol:
However, I don't think they will eat you serpent star.

Corey

What basis do you have for not thinking it would eat my serpent? I hope this is the case, but my understanding is that they eat any starfish.

 

[biecacka]

I have heard of other ppl keeping them with serpant starfish with NO issues. But this is not firsthand experience but I asked and that was the general consensus.

corey

 

[cvore2004]

Thank you. I appreciate the info. I'll have to do a bit more research to confirm, but I wouldn't have even had the question if you hadn't said something.