Asterina starfish question

[e048]

I have a somewhat large population of asterina stars in one tank they seem to be pretty benign as I've never seen anything out of the ordinary with them all my corals are fine and happy

I have another tank that I was thinking about purposely introducing some of the asterinas into. Only thing different in this tank is that I have a large clam in it. Do asterinas eat healthy clams? Anyone ever had an issue with an asterina stars eating clams

All I could find on google is asterina eating Zoas and leathers which I have none of

Thanks!

 

[SoloGarth]

No I have never heard of small starfish bothering clams. I wouldn't purposefully introduce them though. Just my opinion. They generally are benign but can reproduce at an incredible rate and just end up everywhere. For that reason I removed all of them from my systems.

 

[Calappidae]

No I have never heard of small starfish bothering clams. I wouldn't purposefully introduce them though. Just my opinion. They generally are benign but can reproduce at an incredible rate and just end up everywhere. For that reason I removed all of them from my systems.

This^

Asterina can eat bivalves, but large clams are free of danger... I'm talking your clam would have to be new born ant sized or something for an asterina to pose a threat.

I don't know why you'd want to purposely introduce them, but if it's by the chance you're hoping for a population to keep harlequin shrimp, keep in mind they need to eat atleast 15 asterinas a day to be properly kept on an all asterina diet. They'll be gone in a week. Populations of thousands last a month when using them as control. Just my 2cents incase that was your intention.

 

[e048]

I've never had any population booms in my other tank I see them at night maybe 4-5 on the glass and 6-9 on the rocks and that's really about it

Would there be any other negative effects?

Do they eat diatoms

 

[SoloGarth]

I've never had any population booms in my other tank I see them at night maybe 4-5 on the glass and 6-9 on the rocks and that's really about it

Would there be any other negative effects?

Do they eat diatoms

How long has the system been set up? In my experience there always ends up being hundreds of them or more given good conditions. The fact is they are considered a pest by most people and for me personally I ensure I have no pests in my system as I sell frags.

 

[e048]

My other tank has been up and running for almost 4 years without any kind of population explosion

The tank I want to introduce them into is the tank I got for free, I threw away the sand in that tank and put new sand in now I'm fighting diatoms in the new tank. That "new tank" had been up and running for 2 years

 

[Tgionet]

I've heard some species eat LPS corals

 

[e048]

My other tank has had frogspawn and hammers without any issues I get new heads growing in them every week maybe I have a harmless version of stars?

Anyone know if they eat diatoms

 

[SPS911]

I've had them eat zoas before

 

[BlueRoofTang]

I have had them eat zoas also. Id come home and look in and see them on top of a polyp, wrapped around it on all sides. When I pulled them off, that polyp would never open again. They were eating my zoas, 100% sure.

 

[e048]

not to hate on anyone but I don't really care for zoas haha

i decided against adding them intentionally to my other tank since I have somewhat different coral in there (bubble, gsp, clam)