Dam SPS Eating Starfish

[pco1988]

I stayed up tonight to see what was happening to my sps coral. I thought I had a problem like red bugs or something, but I don't. I have those tiny little pain in the neck micro starfish and they are all over my sps. These are the ones that don't grow any bigger than like a dime and are creamish brown in color.

Does anyone know how I can get rid of these guys?

Philip

 

[UrbanSage]

Harlequin shrimp perhaps?

However from what I hear, asterina starfish do not eat the sps. Something else is going on and they show as a result. I wouldn't know though

 

[pco1988]

Bump

 

[gastone]

Philip, I have witnessed asterina sp. munching on my zoas lately. For years I've watched them eat coraline algae and diatoms off the glass, but these guys are eating the zoanthinds.

I don't have a solution for you though.

I'll tag along as I'd like to know what to do as well before they migrate over to my zoanthid tank.

Garrett.

 

[pco1988]

Yea I haven't had a problem with them and my zoas but now I will keep a look out for that too.

 

[acrodave]

I hate asterina just like peppermint shrimp neither is truly reef safe

 

[pco1988]

Yea I just want them gone. The only fear with the harlequin shrimp is that I have sand sifting starfish that to me are a big deal to help keep my sand bed clean.

 

[UrbanSage]

Replace the sand sifting stars with cucumbers. Better for your sand bed anyways.

 

[143gadgets]

I had the same problem with them and my zoas/palys. I went and got a Harlequin. Gave it to Rik when he was don with my tank.

 

[bph0013]

sand sifting stars will just eat everything beneficial in your sandbed and then starve to death. They're one of those creatures that shouldn't be sold in the trade.

 

[rhinochaser]

bastards

bastards

Good topic, Im dealing with the same problem in my tank.

 

[94ls-sie47]

are you talkin about this star fish?

 

[ezcompany]

well, a harlequin should solve your problem.
the sand sifting star will run out of food to eat, even in a very large tank full of sand. it eats the beneficial organisms that make your sand bed useful.
a cucumber has the risk of dying and crashing an entire tank. someone recently lost a 500+ gallon system from ONE cucumber. now some people say there are cucs that don't nuke the tank upon death, but i don't know which ones.

 

[pco1988]

Thanks for all the feedback, I think I am gonna go buy a harlequin shrimp. Sounds like the best solution to my problem.

 

[Emster]

Just got a harleguin and he is a munchin. Those things WILL eat your zoas when you get enough and they are lookin for something they can eat. trust me. Don't think they eat sps's, you might see them on the dead parts but never seen them on the live parts but there are many different kinds.

 

[Emster]

You need one of these....

 

[Emster]

I got a lazy one, he likes to take a ride...

 

[Tang Salad]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11835738#post11835738 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 94ls-sie47
are you talkin about this star fish?

I second this question!

 

[Emster]

Those are them!

 

[Tang Salad]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11851405#post11851405 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Emster
Those are them!

Yes, we know those are Asterinas.
The question was to the OP: are these the stars on his/her SPS?