Asterina stars eating my zoas?

[EDJFA]

I don't really know if this is the cause or not, but I thought I'd ask. I can't seem to keep small frags of zoas long term. They're good for several months, but then all of a sudden they seem to just wither away over the course of a week or so.

Just this week I've lost two small frags that I purchased at the last swap. When I came in yesterday morning, I noticed both of those frags had Asterina stars on them. I had noticed that neither of them were looking good over the last few days, but I also hadn't seen anything bothering them.

I've read conflicting thoughts on those starfish. Some people say they don't bother anything and to leave them alone while others say they pull them out the second they see them. I have always been in the leave them alone camp.

Seems strange that I can't keep what appears to be a fairly simple coral like a zoanthid healthy.

I'd be happy to buy a shrimp that eats those starfish, but I don't really want to continue buying starfish after it clears mine out.

Any other secrets to success with zoas?

 

[makeshift101]

I had a ton of asterina in my tank at one point. I mean, when I woke up in th emorning, my glass was covered with them.

They seemed to never bother my zoas. Ive read multiple treads here that people had problems with them eating them, but others like myself never had a problem.

One morning I was tired of seeing 1,000's of them on my glass, took my fish net and scooped up everyone I could see. and repeated it the next day, now I only see them randomly. I would suggest giving that a try if you want them gone.

 

[wr80]

Put a predator in the tank and they'll flock to the glass. Then you just scrape them off the glass and boom they're gone.

 

[Mr D smack]

Get a Harlequin Shrimp and watch the disappear

 

[makeshift101]

Get a Harlequin Shrimp and watch the disappear

Yeah, but when their all gone you got to keep feeding it somehow

 

[.Renegade]

syphon them out or get a harlequin shrimp and once he is done with them pass him on to another member that may need one

 

[Mr D smack]

Yeah, but when their all gone you got to keep feeding it somehow

Chocolate chip starfish in the sump

 

[EDJFA]

I think I've decided to just let them be for now. I'm not completely convinced that my zoas aren't dying off because I'm not a good coral keeper, so why kill off the starfish if I don't really need to.

I'll keep an eye on them and will be quick to pull them from my zoa frags if I see them near.

On another note, what do I do about these Aptasia!?!? Seems like I went from 1 to 50 of them overnight.

I guess I need to have Lei get me a CBB or buy one fhose fancy lasers!! I know, I know, there's a shrimp for that too. But how many times do you get to kill stuff with a laser?

 

[makeshift101]

peppermint shrimp for the Aiptasia

 

[Mr D smack]

peppermint shrimp for the Aiptasia

+100000000:thumbsup:

The laser will only kill the aptasia if you are able to zap the entire thing. If you can not get the whole aptiasia including the foot it will come back

 

[Lance A. Lot]

I guess I need to have Lei get me a CBB or buy one fhose fancy lasers!! I know, I know, there's a shrimp for that too. But how many times do you get to kill stuff with a laser?