Tiny starfish pests starting to take over...

[GARFVolunteer]

A little common sense works well here. If the asterina are not bothering anything then that's great. If they are bothering something, decide which you like better, the asterina or their prey...

The problem with harlequin shrimp is they usually quickly go through the stars in the tank then starve unless they are fed. I know some that keep chocolate chip stars in their sump and cut off a leg every once in a while to feed the harlequin.

I have had asterina attack perfectly healthy coral. Some say they are opportunistic feeders and just happen to attack the same corals over and over. I am an opportunistic feeder myself. I stop and nearly every Krispy Kremes I see.

I eventually removed the capnella to another tank...

Thanks,

Scott

 

[frags on a rock]

wow cool pic

 

[supervdl]

I have lots of them coming out when the halides get off and they definitly multiplied a lot over the last six months. No ill effect on my tank and corals (see red house).

 

[sean48183]

Harmless and if they are reproducing means your tank is stable and doing well. they are huge algae eaters so that is good. I scrape them off the glass with the algae every few days or so and they don't climb back on the glass untill the algae reappears.