Zoanthids : Asterina are safe or not ???

[LeLutinBanni]

Asterina are safe or not with zoanthids and palythoas ?

Should i get rid of them ?

 

[mrk1260]

I've had a few in my tank for some time no problems, I figured no harm no foul and let them live their lives. I found one this morning munching on some mohawks, grabbed him and threw the little guy right out.

From what I've heard and seen it seems like mixed reports

 

[650-IS350]

Search this forum there are threads about them. Me personally, if I find them I chuck them.

 

[rovster]

I've seen them on my polyps, but don't know if they are munching them, or cleaning them. FWIW, I've never seen a chewed up polyp or a missing polyp, and I have a ton of those little stars!

 

[650-IS350]

Its hard to tell from the reefsafe to the Z's and P's predator type Star. So I just throw them away when I see them.

 

[LeLutinBanni]

I am thinking about getting a harlequin shrimp...

 

[650-IS350]

They're nice but if you don't have a big population you might starve those shirmp if you can chop a leg of chocolate star to keep them fed.

 

[LeLutinBanni]

They're nice but if you don't have a big population you might starve those shirmp if you can chop a leg of chocolate star to keep them fed.

I will sell it after i am done with this pest.

 

[lhm nole]

Not sure if they do or not but every time I have poylps close up it never fails I see a asternia near them so I pluck them out and into the garbage can

 

[smtank]

There are probably hundreds of different types of Asterina.

Some are known coralline algae eaters, some film algae, some corals such as zoanthids.

Hobbyist sometimes experience population explosions but that is probably related to an available food source.

I have had all three types mentioned above. Unless I witness the star eating a coral I just leave it. You will know if they eat zoanthids, one by missing zoanthids or moving frags around and finding them under the frags. Best to look at night for true coral eating types.

 

[Borchers]

Not Zoanthid safe, I along with many other Zoa keepers have seen them decimate a colony of Zoas without any problems. They start on the stalks and chew holes into them. I can count at least 10 reefers here in Sac who say the same thing. Good luck with them.

It was also noted the Stars with red spots are the worst culprits.

 

[650-IS350]

Borchers,

Good to see a fellow NORCAl folk here. Got pics of the red spotted ones?

 

[Borchers]

Nice! Did you make the BAR swap? I'll find a photo and post it up.

 

[650-IS350]

Nah, too busy with work and RL. I haven't been to a BAR swap in year(S). I still do DBTCs though and give free corals to fellow reefers in my area. IF pics are Macro shots that would be awesome.

 

[pfcreed]

I know this is an older thread but its relevant to me, My colonies were doing just fine and for some reason my little stars were just eating all my zoas. Ive pulled out over a 100.

 

[worm5406]

Dip them too if you can.

 

[SchmittyG]

What are your thoughts about getting a Harlequin shrimp to take out the asterina problem and then gettin rid of the Harlequin? Is it safe to say, that once the harlequin is in there, the asterina problem will be over??? Seems well worth it to me. I lost two zoa colonies and have probably close to 100 asterinas in my 29g. UGH

 

[mike nickerson]

I would get rid of them as fast as you can they have demolished a couple hundred dollars worth of my zoas

 

[williewilliams]

From what I have been told, they expell their stomach onto the polyp digesting it, killing it. I had hundreds in my tanks and added a bunch of highend zoas and noticed problems. This prompted me to spent weeks removing every one I saw. Now there are very few and I have had no more issues with any zoas/palys.

 

[650-IS350]

if you only have hand fulls, manual removal is best but if you have hundreds to thousand then you can get some Harq shrimps then sell when they take out all the bad stars.