Starfish question?

[D&KSac]

I just bought a bunch of corals off and when i did my dip i noticed a bunch of small little starfish i had seen some in his tank. I asked him about them he said that some people say there bad some say there not. What are wrong with these little guys? Pros and cons?

 

[buttons buster]

some eat/irritate zoas.
But it all depends on the type.

 

[Reef n' Madness]

some of us have hundreds in our tanks and some of us pick them out whenever we see them.

MikeB had proof of one eating his zoos. He posted a picture of one with the zoo still in it's mouth! But I am one of those who have had them for the longest time and never noticed a problem.

 

[MandM]

Are they the little brittle stars? Those just hang out in the sand and eat detritus. Some have reported Asterina stars munching on polyps, not something I've seen in my tank. GARF link These buggers look darker and a bit different shape than the mostly white ones I have. These look kind of like spiders with the pointy leg ends.

 

[casalt]

like this

like this

If so check this out http://www.wetwebmedia.com/asterinafaqs.htm mine all went away somehow.

 

[kdblove_99]

I have tons of those also, I have personally never had an issue with them

 

[D&KSac]

nope there not those there a small little 5 pointed star with very short arms.

 

[Reef n' Madness]

can you get a picture?

 

[JAnwyl]

I've not had them in the past, but my new tank has them. (Bought the tank running about 3 months ago.) I haven't seen any problems, but I don't have to many different coral types. The Star is an Astrina Star (Spelling?) The debate on these stars is like a religious debate. Keep an eye on your corals and stars and see if there is a problem.

 

[Reef n' Madness]

Asterina stars are the ones pictured above. David said those aren't them.

They could be little brittle stars(?)