Starfish ID please.

[ThrowedToad]

I got this starfish today as a hitchhiker on some mushrooms. It only has four legs. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

[Elysia]

Its an Asterina spp. starfish. Usually they just eat algal and/or bacterial films and calcareous algae, although there are reports of some (bad apples? different species? starving?) that feed on coral.

 

[ucantmakeme]

+1 on Asterina. They can have lots of legs.

 

[dg3147]

+1, i hear they can multiply from a dropped leg. I got a few in my tank.

 

[ThrowedToad]

It has gone missing since the photo and I have heard mixed reviews on its reefsafeness.

 

[SDahmer]

I think the bad (coral eating ones) are hard to find. Most people that see those in their tanks don't notice any harm. I had a few in my tank that just ate microalgae and coraline. I wouldn't worry about it. I had some that were just one leg and some that look like the star of David. Another thing I've noticed is chicks tend to think they're cute.

 

[AJSTITAN14]

Yes they do. We only had one and it roamed around on the glass eating algae all day. It would just go up and down the glass so my GF named it Ellie short for elevator.

It was really nice and perfectly symmetrical. Whenever we got home we would try to find it in the tank if it was on the rocks. Eventually it split in half and the new pieces aren't as attractive or interesting any more.

 

[peasofme]

if starved they will turn on coral

 

[RoganTerrance]

they eat zoas