Zoo Eating Starfish

[Joe]

I bought quite a few different zoo frags from gcorals a few weeks ago. Anyway, I have been losing some polyps lately. I see those very small starfish on the ones I'm missing. They just stay on the polyp until it's gone. I've begun to pick the damn things off every time I check the tank. I have many of these little bastards in the tank. At this rate, I'll never have any frags to share! Has anyone else seen this?
Thanks,

Joe

 

[lpkenneys]

Hi Joe, I haven't notice starfish eating Zoo's but I'm sure some will. What I did have is a snail a (sundial or Box) snail destroy a beautiful patch of zoo's I had until I realized what was going on, there are also nudi's that will eat then as well. As far as the asterina's vacuum as many as you can and keep up with it as they will also eat your coraline algae. some people say to try and add harlequin shrimp but I doubt they will really eat them? any way good luck

 

[lpkenneys]

This might help?
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en&sa=N&um=1

 

[NCNBilly]

I have tons of them, and don't really notice them doing much. I've never seen them on my zoos - I'd look for something else - the stars are probably eating the dead tissue.

 

[Joe]

Thanks, guys. These little buggers are actually eating my zoos. They slide right over the polyp and stay there until there's nothing left (right down to the glue on the plug).

Joe

 

[trippkid]

Yeah, I don't know what you got, have you seen any sea spiders in there, I know I had some one time, it was a new Zoa rock from TFP and wasn't looking good for a couple of days, i pulled it out and could see one or two, I quarantined them and found about 10 more or so after a couple of days in quarantine, I would have to check when the lights were out with a flashlight, then pick them off with tweezers. They look like small spiders. Good luck, I hope you can get them out of there. Could you possibly get a pic of them somehow?
Matt

 

[Joe]

Matt,
No sea spiders. I'll bring a sample to the meeting, and let everyone check it out. I promise I won't throw it in Darin's tanks:eek1:

Joe

 

[reeftard73]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14726833#post14726833 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Joe
Matt,
No sea spiders. I'll bring a sample to the meeting, and let everyone check it out. I promise I won't throw it in Darin's tanks:eek1:

Joe

You'd better bring 'em dried-up and dead.

 

[TomRep]

By little starf i s h, do you mean the asteria's (s/p)? if so, there are various types of them and some of them are c o r a l predators. problem is, there is almost no way to tell them apart from the good guys. I had some in my 120 that would eat polyps, but haven't seen them in the new tank. I find it's easiest just to make sure none go in the tank, then you don't have to worry if they are good or bad.
tom

 

[Joe]

They look like the little mini-stars I've always had, but a little darker on the top. I guess they're asterias. These little starf i s h came in on some liverock I bought from a fellow reefer. I tell you, it's like picking ticks off a dog every morning and night.:mad2:

Joe

 

[Joe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14737031#post14737031 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reeftard73
You'd better bring 'em dried-up and dead.

They'll be fossilized, don't worry!:smokin:

Joe

 

[Joe]

Aha!

I'm not the only one........



http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1653097


Joe