Starfish ID?

[tarpon12]

Guys, I have quite a few of these in my reeftank. They are about 3/8" across. Does anyone know what they are and if they are hazardous to my tank.
Thanks. Alex

 

[mscarpena]

Asterina stars.

 

[dalston]

+1, asternia.

Some are harmless grazers while some are known to eat healthy polyps. As far as I know, I don't think there is a definate way to tell them apart. I just remove any I see regardless.

 

[kyrin01]

+1 on the asterina.

Do you know anyone with Harlequin shrimp? they would probably love to take them off your hands.

Also +1 on removing them when you can.

 

[tarpon12]

Great! thanks guys for the help. I'll try to find someone with a Harlequin or just get one myself as Kyrin01 suggested

 

[twiggyb]

If you get one you're gonna have to provide food for it because it will most likely either clean out your tank of asterina or won't be sufficeint enough for the shrimp to live. You can buy a blue linkia once a month to feed the shrimp after your asterina problem is taken care of.

 

[tarpon12]

If you get one you're gonna have to provide food for it because it will most likely either clean out your tank of asterina or won't be sufficeint enough for the shrimp to live. You can buy a blue linkia once a month to feed the shrimp after your asterina problem is taken care of.

Twiggyb, That sounds good. You said to supply him once a month. How fast will he go through a star like that? couple days? I mean to truly keep a harlequin alive and happy, can he just live off one good size star like that a month?

 

[Salamander]

IME asterina have never caused problems. Seems the majority are harmless, but there is the occasional claim of damage.

I'd say leave it as part of the diversity in your tank. If you see them munching on some polyps then start pulling them out. Its not like they're hard to catch or anything.