Asterina Starfish
- Thread starter SkiFletch
- Start date
redrider911
New member
Based on all the coraline I have to scrape off tomorrow I would say no. But that is a non scientific answer. I remember buying purple up because I just had to have coraline, gotta laugh at that now.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
Re: Asterina Starfish
that's difficult to believe :lol:
Maybe the reports aren't conflicting at all since there are different species of Asterina OR maybe people are totally mistaken and their Asterina are simply eating microalgae growing on top of their coralline.
conflicting reports on Asterina?
that's difficult to believe :lol:
Maybe the reports aren't conflicting at all since there are different species of Asterina OR maybe people are totally mistaken and their Asterina are simply eating microalgae growing on top of their coralline.
FatherDougal
New member
My asterinas definitely eat coralline algae.
I've long wondered why coralline never spread in my tank, thinking it had to be some problem with the water. Then the other day I put in a small frag on a rock that happened to have a patch of nice pink coralline algae on it.
24 hours later the patch of coralline was covered with asterinas (that normally cruise around the rocks and glass) and by the next morning the coralline was completely eliminated. The patch where it had been was gleaming white.
Needless to say the asterinas are now being hunted-down. :mad2:
I've long wondered why coralline never spread in my tank, thinking it had to be some problem with the water. Then the other day I put in a small frag on a rock that happened to have a patch of nice pink coralline algae on it.
24 hours later the patch of coralline was covered with asterinas (that normally cruise around the rocks and glass) and by the next morning the coralline was completely eliminated. The patch where it had been was gleaming white.
Needless to say the asterinas are now being hunted-down. :mad2:
Willistein
Active member
Do you have a picture of these coralline eating stars?
FatherDougal
New member
If I manage to catch another one I will try to get a photo of it. I did a Google image search for Asterina but didn't find a good match.
SkiFletch
New member
Interesting, I'd love to see that. Over the last month I've really been pushing my chemistry to try and create favorable conditions for calcerous growth. Been keeping calc @450+, alk@11-12, and mg@1350+. My hard corals (especially the SPS) have responded with increased growth, but the coraline barely grows... Odd
Edit: FWIW, my asterina-free nano tank (totally isolated system) which I never dose is coraline-covered...
Edit: FWIW, my asterina-free nano tank (totally isolated system) which I never dose is coraline-covered...
FatherDougal
New member
Got one! :smokin:
Not easy to get a decent photo of but this is the best I could do:
Coloration is overall a kind of green-grey camouflage with a rusty red 'ring' around the center of the body.
Now if I had a piece of rock with some coralline on it I'd do a controlled test and photograph the little critter at work...
Not easy to get a decent photo of but this is the best I could do:
Coloration is overall a kind of green-grey camouflage with a rusty red 'ring' around the center of the body.
Now if I had a piece of rock with some coralline on it I'd do a controlled test and photograph the little critter at work...
Willistein
Active member
Definitely different than the ones I have, and my tank is coralline covered. Mine are mostly white/beige colored.
ElDiabloPollo
New member
Ski,
Try scraping the coraline you do have, and let the scrapings float around the tank. I have a theory that the more you scrape the coraline, the more it spreads and grows.
Try scraping the coraline you do have, and let the scrapings float around the tank. I have a theory that the more you scrape the coraline, the more it spreads and grows.
cardiffgiant
Active member
The asterinas that I've seen are white with 6 appendages. This is definitely something different. I'd be interested to know more about it, and if it poses a risk to corals.
I noticed that it also seems to prefer higher flow.
I noticed that it also seems to prefer higher flow.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
great thread.
I've had certain Asterina attack healthy corals in the past.
A lot of people told me that I didn't know what I was talking about.
I've had certain Asterina attack healthy corals in the past.
A lot of people told me that I didn't know what I was talking about.
FatherDougal
New member
These Asterinas have never bothered any coral or sponges, only coralline algae.
It may be that their constant grazing of rock surfaces simply prevents coralline from getting a foothold but I still suspect them of actively eating coralline that's added to the tank.
It may be that their constant grazing of rock surfaces simply prevents coralline from getting a foothold but I still suspect them of actively eating coralline that's added to the tank.
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