Looks like sea star, but has 6 "arms." Help?

[DCFix]

I noticed a bunch of very small (3mm) star-shaped creatures in my tank. At first there were a few, not there are a lot. Are these the diatoms? Some are blue, some are white.
Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Dubbin1]

Hard to say without a picture but I am going to guess Asterina starfish.

 

[wiley0717]

These are harmless "Mini Stars" that useally come as hitch hikers on healthy live rock. Benificial to have in your system as part of a cleaner crew. If they get so populated as they are unsightfull, check the Wanted To Buy adds here on R/C, there are always people looking to buy some.

No on the Diatoms, that would be a brownish slimey algae fueled by high phosphates and old/ incorrect color lights.

 

[Avi]

Asterina starfish most likely. I think that if you look around the forums here in RC, you'll see a lot of different opinions about whether they are reef-safe of not. I'm going to add here, that I just saw myself that they have been eating my small zoanthids...healthy zoanthids and...they are not reef safe.

 

[Paintbug]

i will say Asterina starfish as well. personally i have never had one attack a coral. some people will claim different. the only attacks i have herd/read about are on SPS corals. with the exception of AVI . there are more than once species of these stars, the pale white ones seem to be more algae grazers, while the blue ones are the ones more people have attacking their SPS corals. here a couple of articles with some pics for you to compare to.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/asterinafaqs.htm
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/ac/feature/index.php