Astrenia starfish

[murfman]

This might help.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/ac/feature/index.php

 

[Crit21]

It says, "Asterina sea stars have been accused, unfairly at times, for preying on coral tissue. While some individuals appear to eat some desirable reef invertebrates, the problem may be a simple matter of an opportunistic predator adapting to a change in the available, preferred foods (worms, algae)."

You need more worms and algae!

 

[reefkoi]

Yeah that article does'nt say too much. It seems that they could possibly become a problem, but no actual data proving so. I agree that anything will become an opportunistic predator if needed to survive. You could be right here muff, they might have eaten one of your corals and it could be a problem. Is that why you bought the Harlequin shrimp? To get rid of the asterina?
Chris

 

[fuzzyt]

Not to mention the Harlequins just look kick!

 

[murfman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8644083#post8644083 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefkoi
Yeah that article does'nt say too much. It seems that they could possibly become a problem, but no actual data proving so. I agree that anything will become an opportunistic predator if needed to survive. You could be right here muff, they might have eaten one of your corals and it could be a problem. Is that why you bought the Harlequin shrimp? To get rid of the asterina?
Chris

Yep. I had read that article 1st and when I saw the star walking accross the underside of one lobe on my monti cap and leaving a "dead" trail, I became concerned. I kept looking at the trail and it did not "recover" after a few days. It was still dead looking when I moved it a few weeks ago.

 

[Crit21]

But if you saw it move across the coral, it most likely wasn't eating. Maybe it was secreting something to protect itself from the coral?

 

[murfman]

could be, I don't know. Didn't want to take chances though.

 

[Crit21]

You can have a bunch of mine.

 

[Deuce67]

Paul, I got some stars for yah. It aint much though. I tried to catch as many as I can reach. Ill try again when the lights comes on. I use to have a huge population of them at one time but it seemed to have dwindled down.

 

[murfman]

Thanks, Russ!