Asterina Stars - Good or Bad?

[Stray32]

I have a bunch of these little guys in my tank and I want to make sure they won't eat my coral. I have read they are harmless, and I have read they will eat coral.

So which is it?

 

[charlesr1958]

There are of course multiple species within the Asterina group, many of which are very hard, if not impossible to tell apart. So.... their being coral safe or not would depend of course upon which species you happen to have. If you find them on a coral and there is damage being done, then you know.

Chuck

 

[cap1956]

I would watch them to see where they go. I began to remove them all and then realized that they are mostly on my glass with a few on the rock. Because of thier location I must assume they are eating algae. I have never seen one anywhere near a coral and I have a mixed tank (zoas, LPS,SPS) Now I leave them alone. I would leave them unless you see damage to your corals.

 

[esam3]

my LFS takes them out because he thinks that they eat coral. I have never seen them eat my coral, but i have seen them near my corals.

 

[loosecannon]

Do anny of you guys know how to kill them, I have lots of them taking over my tanks!

 

[miwoodar]

I used a pair of long thin tongs to thin out the herd. Well worth the $15 investment versus clumsily fumbling around the rockwork trying to pluck them off the rocks by hand. Before the tongs I was lucky to pull 10 in a sitting. After the tongs I could grab 50 in the same amount of time.

Mine never touched my corals. They ate my coralline like gangbusters though. I could see the tracks of their distruction all over the place.

 

[Tennyson]

GIVE YOUR ASTERINA's To MEEEE!!!!!

I have been searching everywhere for them and can never find them! its really annoying, I want them really bad.

Stray32-I'd pay you to mail me as many as you want to get rid of