Starfish

[cody3819]

OK guys, I need help. Today I put in a nice colony of frogspawn coral. I noticed that after about a hour in the tank two small white starfish with a black back appeared. Are they reef safe?

 

[Calappidae]

Asterinas, there are several different species of asterinas, only a handful are not reef safe, but identifying which ones are is impossible currently.

They also multiple in hundreds eventually, they're just not worth having and best kept out of the system.

 

[cody3819]

Thanks, is there anything that will eat them?

 

[Calappidae]

Harlequin shrimp and bongo shrimp are considered the most reliable answers, but they need food provided to them immediantly after the job is done.

 

[BigJohnny]

Harlequin shrimp and bongo shrimp are considered the most reliable answers, but they need food provided to them immediantly after the job is done.

+1. Just get harlequin shrimp they are beautiful and after all are gone you only need to feed them one large starfish/month, like a chocolate chip starfish

 

[cody3819]

Thanks you guys for the help!

 

[Betta132]

Harlequins need to be fed live starfish, and often they won't eat asterinas. I'd suggest just picking out any stars you see.

 

[Sk8r]

I've never had any problem with asterinas and lps.