Questions.. Starfish Starfish deformed arms

[SabrinaJean]

In my 27G tank I have wonderful live rock that has produced many beautiful creations, slugs, snails, worms , dusters and STARFISH STARFISH. Recently I have noticed my baby starfish starfishs have been looking deformed. They no longer have their 5 arms but instead have 3 and the other two looked cut off or like they have been affected with radiation or something. DOes anyone know what is up? Are they dying? You think I have something in there eating them? WBBBB

 

[LTCrunch]

is it those really tiny starfish... about the size of a dime or smaller? Those are Astrea stars and are actually not good for your aquarium if you have or ever plan to have corals.

 

[SabrinaJean]

Yeah they are blue, yellow, tan, white. I have them on every rock in my tank and they move fast. So u think I should just pluck them and flush?
In my tank I have Cabbage Coral and Povona Green coral, that's it.

 

[chrisstie]

There's actually a bit of a debate about them. I have tons of corals and these starfish never bother them. I always see them where there is coralline algae.

If you decide to flush mail them to me first i'll take them ;p You can actually use a booming population to feed harlequin shrimps or leave them be if they aren't bothering anyone.

 

[IPowderBlueTang]

I have tons and see they do no harm to anything in my tanks!

 

[SabrinaJean]

Well i don't know I just took 10 plus outta my tank already. I left them to dry up sad butt neways i know I still have more. I'll keep a look out for who they bother

 

[boomsticks]

They are completely harmless.

 

[Skier1]

Asterina stars... generally considered harmless and reef safe.

More info here:
http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/hitchstars.html