Asterna Stars are eating my Zoa's

[goreefer]

I've had asterna stars in my tank for a few years, but I never thought that they were a big problem, until I started noticing that my Zoa's were starting to be thinned out. At first I thought that with the Nathan's Millie getting so large that it was shading them, but the other night I actually saw one of the stars eat a zoa polyp.
Anybody have a good way to get rid of the little pests?
I thought of a Harlican shrimp, but I would hate to put one in my tank only to have it starve later when the stars are gone.

 

[TriMax]

How a pic? Please

 

[goreefer]

There are two stars eating zoas in this picture.
Look at the circled areas:

Six weeks ago this rock was almost completly covered with zoas...

 

[TriMax]

I do not see the "star" part, but I take your word that they are the cause. I did a little looking and all I found was to use the Harlequin Shrimp. Even then some folks said some shrimps will not eat them. And like you said if they do eat them, they starve when they eat them all. Not a great choice -- lose your zoas or buy something knowing it will die.

 

[Aimiel]

You might ask those in your local club if anyone has a Harlequin Shrimp you could 'borrow' to do the cleaning. If they come back, borrow him again; or perhaps you might learn from the owner how to keep one well-fed on your own.

 

[goreefer]

Eddie,
The stars wrap themselves around the zoa, then start eating them.

 

[cee]

Harleys won't die, you just have to feed them. I have 2 presently. A CC star in the sump will feed them for almost 6 months (a leg every 3 weeks or so).

 

[goreefer]

Sounds like I need to add a harliquin shrimp to my system.

 

[mkenochm]

The only alternative to a harlequin shrimp is to pick them out of the tank everytime you see them (not very effective). I added a harlequin shrimp when I was having this problem and they pretty much wiped out the stars in a few weeks. Chocolate chip stars are fairly inexpensive and will provide an alternative food source for them. Just wait to add the chocolate chip after the asterna's are irradicated.

 

[acrodave]

ive never liked them. everyone all says they are safe and fine . but ive always said never trust them..hate to see them munching your stuff. hope you get rid if them

 

[macclellan]

That sucks about the Asterinas! I have my suspicions about mine...

Are harlequin's rare in the wild or something?

 

[acrodave]

That sucks about the Asterinas! I have my suspicions about mine...

Are harlequin's rare in the wild or something?

no.. why do u ask

 

[macclellan]

no.. why do u ask

Because he seemed worried about it eventually dying and I wondered why.

 

[acrodave]

oh ok .well they only eat true starfish ones with tube feet. and nutting eles. they wont mess with brittles or any thing eles. so when all the asterinas are gone they will starve if you dont feed them other stars with tube feet.. thats what dave was saying about keeping a cho.chip in a sump and feed it a leg evey few days. they are very cool shrimp if your willing to feed them

 

[goreefer]

I'm looking for one, but none of our local stores have any in stock. I really would like to support our local stores, so I'm going to be patient and see if any of them can get one for me.
Once the shrimp has cleaned out the asterinas I'll get a CC star for feeding purposes only.
After loosing about 2/3 of my zoa colony I've kinda become anti-star...

 

[cee]

You know they're hungary when they come out and wander around the tank during the day. That's when they get a leg. Back in the '90s I used to freeze starfish to feed them and it worked fine.

Dave

 

[digidana]

i have a harlequin for the same reason, but he's not keeping up with them very good...i still have a ton, and i've had the shrimp for months and months. he's getting big tho! and cool to watch. i probably need another.

 

[seased]

btw - there is a good video of the harleguin shrimp over at adv. aquarist - it's in the most recent edition - the link is towards the bottom of the page. Let us know how it works out, I may need to get one myself. Also, do they eat large brittle stars? I have a large red one (about 10" in dia) that has been in the tank for several years.

 

[TriMax]

Garry

So, what did you do?

 

[Runner]

I have had both asterinas and zoanthids for years. In my 24G, they just hang out on the back wall. I never saw them on healthy zoanthids. When I didn't have the Gargantuan Worm of Zoa and Softie Death (GWOZASD, for short) killing zoas, mine grew fairly well in the presence of the asterinas.