ID help

[Blue Reef 06]

I have a 125 gallon reef with live rock (and a good bit of algae at the moment) and noticed a small dime-sized starfish on the glass of my tank and then discovered several more throughout my tank. Most of these are buried in the algae. Any thoughts about what it could be and if it is ok to leave these guys alone or do I need to try to eradicate them?

Thanks!

Laura

 

[garygonzales]

they are baby serpent starfish..........they are good to keep

 

[Crooked Reef]

Micro brittle stars, good score and nothing you need to do about them. They clean up detritus and uneaten food in between and under your rocks so you may or may not notice they are there most of the time. I took down a 65 gallon once and found hundreds in the rockwork I didn’t know I had. Their population is self limiting on the available food source so their numbers will rise and fall throughout the life of your tank. They do have some predators, I believe halichores wrasses eat them.

https://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/

Great link above for various hitchhikers you may get in your tank.

 

[Blue Reef 06]

Thanks to you both!

 

[tomreefer]

I had them in my tank but I dont see them anymore..