Star hitcher....Need for concern?

[Shooter7]

I've seen several of the smaller stars in my tanks before, the types that are kind of a mottled gray/black/brown color with real short stubby legs, usually maybe a quarter inch or so across. Last night for the first time spotted this star that was just plain tan color all over and was probably between 3/4 - almost 1" across, so much larger than the other guys. Haven't noticed any problems with anything in the tank, but is this guy ok to leave in there if I spot him again?

 

[mjpelikan]

I have no idea, but I am curious to see it - photo please?

 

[ol'saltybastage]

http://www.garf.org/STAR/starfish.html is this what you found?

 

[Shooter7]

Don't have a pic right now. Saw him briefly for the first time last night and he moved out of sight fairly quickly. Ol'salty, that pic is more like the ones I'm used to seeing, although mine are always very small, you have to be really looking to spot them. The one I saw last night was big enough that I spotted him from over 10 feet away from the tank. He had much more defined limbs, like the linkia (or however it is you spell that) type of star...much longer limbs than those other guys.

 

[Shooter7]

Although, now that I look at the title of that pic (LOL), I don't think that is the ones I'm actually seeing as I've never had any probs with corals being eaten in the past. However, the ones that I have found in the past and currently even have in this tank have had the stubby looking legs like the one in that picture.

 

[capncapo]

If you haven't added anything lately and have not noticed any damage I would leave it.

 

[Shooter7]

Well, as far as stuff being put in lately, the tank's only been up a couple of months, however, most of what is in it I already had except for a good amount of the live rock I picked up from Arsenal. Right now that's my best guess as to where he came from. Only corals I've added came from randy and those two frags were way too small for this guy to have hidden on.

 

[mjpelikan]

I haven't had any problems (so far) with these little guys, and they are tough. I had some major ph/salinity/temp issues with my tank as it was cycling and this little guy was in there the entire time. I will probably start pulling them out as I see them.

If you get a chance to shoot a pic, please do! I love seeing hitchhikers (or as I like to call them, freebies!).

 

[Shooter7]

I have seen several of the small, stubby-legged guys lately on my rock - on my base rock as a matter of fact, along with other creatures that appear to be taking up residence in my base rock, so I'm real happy with that. The reeferrocks is starting to get coralline on it already too. But this guy was just so different shaped and so much bigger than the others that he caught my attention from long distance. I will try to get a pic of him when/if I see him again.