ID tiny starfish

[Genin]

what is this tiny starfish? he hid once the light came on in the tank.

 

[ReefRookie75]

I cant give you the name of these little guys but rest assured they are normal for a reef tank. I have many of them. They will not get larger than a penny and no, your starfish didn't have babies. I think they just come from the live rock and multiply. I heard once they have been known to eat SPS but I have a soft coral tank so I'm not sure. The Harlequin shrimp eats them and only them if they become a problem.

 

[ReefRookie75]

Did some more research...

http://www.reef-aquarium.net/resources/livestock/critters/starfish.html

 

[Genin]

hey thanks reefrookie. that's definately the little guy. asterina star.

 

[ophiuroid]

Yup, Asterina, and very few, IMO are real problems. Some are reported to eat SPS, some are reported to eat soft corals, some are reported to eat coralline...and quite often they are totally innocent of anything at all. So watch them, but odds are good you have some just like any others - harmless