tiny starfish question

[skeet1]

I have a ton of teeny tiny starfish. All over everything. They're kinda light beige. Gottem from some macro a guy gave me. I would guess that they're o.k., but how many gets to be too many?
Curt

 

[Dewey58]

Suspect they're serpent/brittle stars. Very good for your tank. A pic would be nice.

 

[jsr]

Can you post a picture of the starfish? First thing that comes to mind is babay sand sifting stars.

 

[Darkstar04]

I have seen a few of that kind as well, white/beige and more "stocky" than a brittle star.

 

[michaeljames]

I have a ton of 'em in my tanks, most only have a few "legs" I assume they were in the live sand or rock, I have kept track of a few there getting bigger and regenerating there limbs...

 

[Salamander]

Asterina star. Most are great to have. There area few rare reports of a species that eats sps but not very common. Most are very beneficial. Don't worry about 'em. The more the merrier. Consider yourself luck to get a good hitchhiker.

 

[aquarius77]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10665040#post10665040 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Salamander
Asterina star. Most are great to have. There area few rare reports of a species that eats sps but not very common. Most are very beneficial. Don't worry about 'em. The more the merrier. Consider yourself luck to get a good hitchhiker.

I find this to be more false than anything. The reports are not rare at all of these guys deciding to munch on various coral. I have found them on several occasions with a death grip over a closed zoo polyp. I constantly take them out and i always find more... Most times they are NOT something you should be overly excited about and you should keep a very close eye on them.

These pics are not mine but they show the type of star we are discussing:

 

[skeet1]

Thanks for the pic Kevin. That looks like the ones I have. I've never seen them anywhere but in my cheato or on the glass in my sump & tank. I'll keep a close eye on everything. Curt

 

[Maxi]

I have an asterina starfish in my tank. All I see it doing everytime I find it, its just hanging around the acrylic, I guess eating the algea... ( do they eat algea? :s) I never have seen it eating any of my corals.

 

[Pea-brain]

There are dozens of species of asterina. Only a few eat coral. Most are detritus or algae eaters.

Dan

 

[Salamander]

I think Aquarius77 is one of the unlucky ones who may possibly have gotten a bad species. But I've never really heard of the bad ones eating zoas, just SPS, but I'm no expert.

I'd say keep 'em and watch em. If they do bother corals then get rid of 'em. They're easy to catch if you do need to eliminate them.

Do some more research and make your own judgment.

 

[SquidHC]

On occasion I fond ones just like the pic. I was told they are bad, so Ive killed em when Ive seen em. Dunno though, never wanted to risk it.

 

[Roger928]

Good reading here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/asterinastars.htm

 

[bigjackstud]

I have them too. Read an artical that says they might eat corals but not real sure. One guy caught one on his zoo polyp And was told that it was more than likely eating a dead or dying polyp. Not a healthy one. So I'm going to just watch mine for now....