Ok so I am Totaly new to salt water aquariums. I just got my first 20gal Nano tank. I bought it already up and running. I added some Zoas to the tank because that is my goal to have a zoa tank. And I noticed these really cute starfish Tiny Tiny. Are they bad? I also have these weird worm things poking out of the sand every were. Are those good or bad? If these things are bad What do I do?
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- Thread starter Zoafan2
- Start date
the starfish are not necessarily bad.
They are either asterinas or mini brittles
the mini brittles are all fine that I am aware of and of the asterinas.... the vast majority of them are just part of your clean up crew. some can be polyp and sps munchers but they are different although we cant really tell by looking at them. You can tell by where they hang out. If you see them on the rocks and glass, they are fine and just part of your clean up crew. If you see them always on your corals they are not and you will most likely see damage as well.
Ive never had the zoa munching ones, but i have had sps mucnhing ones and I do admit for this reason I toss them all when convenient.
moral to the story is just because you see some asterinas on your glass or rocks is no reason to think you are infested with a pest, and the starfish you have could very well be minibrittles.....we need a pic.
hard to say on the worm things but they are more than likely safe as well. Post a pic and we can identify them for you
They are either asterinas or mini brittles
the mini brittles are all fine that I am aware of and of the asterinas.... the vast majority of them are just part of your clean up crew. some can be polyp and sps munchers but they are different although we cant really tell by looking at them. You can tell by where they hang out. If you see them on the rocks and glass, they are fine and just part of your clean up crew. If you see them always on your corals they are not and you will most likely see damage as well.
Ive never had the zoa munching ones, but i have had sps mucnhing ones and I do admit for this reason I toss them all when convenient.
moral to the story is just because you see some asterinas on your glass or rocks is no reason to think you are infested with a pest, and the starfish you have could very well be minibrittles.....we need a pic.
hard to say on the worm things but they are more than likely safe as well. Post a pic and we can identify them for you
Last edited:
650-IS350
Active member
known zoa / paly predators. hope this helps.
http://zoaid.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=384
http://zoaid.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=384
I dont have a camera that will take good enough pictures for you to even see them, Sorry.
I have been watching them and they are on the glass and rocks and zoas, but I dont see aany damage.
Thank you for your help. some people say to get a starfish eating shrimp? what do you think about that? dont have any other on purpose starfish in my tank. accept a sand sifter. will they eat that too? Will the shrimp do more damage than good?
I have been watching them and they are on the glass and rocks and zoas, but I dont see aany damage.
Thank you for your help. some people say to get a starfish eating shrimp? what do you think about that? dont have any other on purpose starfish in my tank. accept a sand sifter. will they eat that too? Will the shrimp do more damage than good?
the problem with the harlequin shrimp is that once the starfish are gone you will have to feed him starfish or he will starve and die.
if they are on the rocks and glass they are indeed asterinas it sounds like as well as are harmless ones
you can google asterina and loads of info will come up
if they are on the rocks and glass they are indeed asterinas it sounds like as well as are harmless ones
you can google asterina and loads of info will come up
