Looks like I am getting a harlequin

[MikeandNicole]

I was looking at a frag of zoas I have had for a while (grew 3 polyps to around 25ish) that have always done really well for me. I noticed some were closed up and not looking happy so i took a closer look and saw three asterinas feasting on my zoas :mad2:. I removed them with a pair of tongs and the zoas look a big better but are not thrilled. I lost a couple of perfectly happy frags last month when i went on vacation last month and now I am wondering if I found my culprit.

Now I know harlequins require bigger stars than asterinas and I do have a Hawaiin harlequin right now in another tank so they are not something new to me. Is there another way or am I just SOL here?

 

[kalgra]

I guess it depends on how many you have. I am not completely convinced that asterinas are as bad as some say. Never the less I found some on my Zoas and wasnt going to take the chance. It was a pain but i just used long tweezers and picked out everyone I could find each day for about two weeks. I also started inspecting all new additions. Amazing how many times I find them come in from other places. Just another reason why I'm not sure they are as problematic as people think.

Anyhow I have not seen one in months. I hear a Harlequin will make quick work of them but then you will need to either start feeding it something else or find it another home. Just my 2 cents I am by no means an authority on the subject so take it for whats its worth.

 

[MikeandNicole]

Yeah I am going to try the manual removal process until I can get a harlequin. I have some tongs and tweezers and will just have to hope I can pull out as many as I can. I recently lost some really prized zoas (ie the most "rare" and expensive ones that I had) that I have had from a while and grew out that just straight up melted on me for no reason. I did not change anything in the tank and my other zoas are doing great so I think I found my culprit.

Believe me I was picking 4 stars off of a mini colony and they were straight up attacking the polyps. I will have to see what happens.

 

[tent boy]

I had hundreds of asterinas in my 170 gallon tank. Bought a very small harlequin and within 8 weeks he had wiped out the entire population of them. They eat alot in a very short time. Could not believe that this little creature could eat so many so fast. I gave him a chocolate chip starfish to keep him happy for a while. They are cute little buggers though. I dont know that the reduction of asterinas has changed anything growth wise with the zoanthids and other corals though.

 

[howze01]

Hey Mikke and Nikki, If you're interested I'm hoping to switch out my breeding pair of Harlies for a pair of Hawaiian Harlies. I have OG on the lookout for the Hawaiians. I could part with them early if you want. Buy, trade for some zoos would work for me if youre interested. Should be seeing you at the party coming up in a few weeks. LMK

 

[MikeandNicole]

Thanks John, I will talk to Nikki and probably take you up on that offer.

 

[howze01]

Thanks John, I will talk to Nikki and probably take you up on that offer.

Good! I would be happier to see you guys get them than to trade them in to the LFS. If you guys decide you want them, you know where to find me!

 

[~RuSh~]

Ha, strange coincidence, but...

I have recently come to believe that some stars wandering around my tank have been munching on my zoas. I wasn't sure, and I hadn't heard much about them eating zoas so I ignored them. I've lost a handful of frags to what I believe are asterinas as well. I just bought a Green envy frag and sure as #$%& last night I had to pull two large stars off that frag! I lost one polyp already. I've been spot picking them for the time being and I think I'll have to continue to do so as a Harlequin shrimp is just not something my LFS's would ever carry... It is nice to read that others suspect them as well and that I'm not just wasting my time pulling every 1/4 inch star I spy in my tank...

 

[MikeandNicole]

They have long been known as an irritant, but it is just certain kinds of asterinas it is not all of them. There in lies the problem, you see them in your tank and think nothing of them until you pull 4 of them off a colony that are clearly eating your polyps. I have always had a few around but never had the nasty ones. I suspected them when I lost two perfectly healthy frags over a week when I was away and once I caught them red handed I knew I had a problem.

 

[Tahoe69]

Ugh I'm having the same problem, at first I was stoked to see so many thought they were a great part of my clean up crew fast forward a year and a half later I find them all over my perfectly heathy zoas ***! Ate my whole colony of tubs blues! So I've been spot picking them off the last 2 weeks I've pulled over 100 out! 10+ a day

 

[A. Grandis]

:hmm5:
First time I hear about Asterina on zoa colonies.
Thanks for sharing!

Grandis.

 

[donduncan]

I have seen them eating zoas that were infected, but never healthy zoas.