Help ID mysterious starfish

[Frost_Hydra]

Hey, its been about a week since I noticed the first creature (I really don't know what it is, though it looks like a starfish) pop up. It appeared on my liverock, which was covered by cyano which I just killed. The next day it was no longer visible as the dead cyano covered it up. yesterday I noticed another one appear on my heater (shown in the picture), and this morning I noticed it moved from the heater to its power cord. I was just curious if this is a creature I should be worried or concerned about; and if its something good, how to take care of it. Sorry I couldn't get a better picture of it, its in a very weird angle; and thank you in advance.

 

[mcgyvr]

Looks like a normal/harmless asterina starfish..

Some people freak out about those and remove them thinking they will go after corals.. 99% of the time they will not and are totally harmless..
There are many kinds and supposedly one or a few types can go after corals.. most do not..
I have hundreds in my coral reef tank and they don't harm anything..

 

[UTCReefer]

Looks like a normal/harmless asterina starfish..

Some people freak out about those and remove them thinking they will go after corals.. 99% of the time they will not and are totally harmless..
There are many kinds and supposedly one or a few types can go after corals.. most do not..
I have hundreds in my coral reef tank and they don't harm anything..

I had a ton of the same ones and now I dont really see them much anymore. For awhile they would all climb into my CaRx feed tube and suicide themselves in the reactor.

 

[schnebbles]

I think it's so funny because I was so happy when I found one in my new tank and now I see this question so often. I was happy to just have something come from "nowhere!". That was before I knew about rock hitchhikers. I've never had an outbreak of them, I'll see one here and there and that's it. My tank is nearly a year old.

 

[mcgyvr]

I think it's so funny because I was so happy when I found one in my new tank and now I see this question so often.

cause newbies be freaking out about everything... :thumbsup:
and many people blow stuff way out of proportion too..

aiptasia.. OMG... RUN... please...
Asterina... OMG its going to eat everything... please..

Giant copepods ate my dog.. ok that one is real.. watch out for those suckers.. Just don't put them in the sunlight.. er.. or is that Gremlins.. err.. or was that don't get them wet?... crap... :rollface:

 

[schnebbles]

I was happy when I found my asterina Not so happy that I'm sure I have a gorilla crab. It's so elusive.