Should i remove this star?

[Misfit36]

Found him when lights turned on. My zoas have been getting destroyed/decayed. Could this be culprit? I have read about good and bad asterinas

 

[CristianD]

yes. i had those and they were messing up my zoas. they also eat coraline algae. i wouldn't wait until they multiply.

Found him when lights turned on. My zoas have been getting destroyed/decayed. Could this be culprit? I have read about good and bad astreas

 

[Imbarrie]

Could be, could not.
People swear they have seen them eat zoas and others say the zoas were already dead and the star is merely eating the remains.
Many people have their own theories on these.
If it makes you concerned, then take it out.

See if your zoas keep dying.

 

[Misfit36]

Thanks for the quick replies. Ive netted him and will probably give to a friend who has a harlequin shrimp. I have a feeling I might be getting one myself.

 

[MIKE NY]

Asterina star..there are many different species of them ..many are just beneficial algae grazers, but a few of them do eat zoas and softies....I literally have thousands of them in my system and very rarely do I see one actually eating a coral...most often than not they are just eating dead tissue or algae around the coral....but if your not sure remove it.

 

[Imbarrie]

See if you can borrow the herlequin.
They will clean out a tank and then starve, unless you are willing to house a starfish and break legs off it to feed your shrimp. Which is pretty heartless just to feed a shrimp.

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

See if you can borrow the herlequin.
They will clean out a tank and then starve, unless you are willing to house a starfish and break legs off it to feed your shrimp. Which is pretty heartless just to feed a shrimp.

Asterina stars are definitely evil get it out immediately. I don't care what anyone says I have seen them of all different colors eating corals. Plain white,white with blue ,white with brown get it out and hope that's the only one because they multiply fast and are very hard to get rid of.

Now borrowing a harlequin IN THEORY a good idea. However getting it out after? NOT SO EASY. Be prepared to rip your whole tank apart most likely. You MIGHT be able to use some type of trap but it's not 100%. I definitely agree though about the part of it being heartless to cut up starfish legs all the time I personally would not keep them for that reason. Good luck dude.

 

[Ariel110G]

Yes if you can get them out, they eat coraline algae I have them as well, I got them after I got some live rock from some one on MR that was giving out all his tank for free, & his tank did not have coraline algae at all. his tank was nice but with no coraline at all. evrey morning I take 5 to 7 out.

 

[Weicowireman]

I literally have 100's of them and they like to indulge on my zoas and drives me fin crazy. I pull them out when I can but they multiply so fast and I feel bad buying a harlequin shrimp because I will be forced to buy starfish to keep him fed.... Rather deal with the stars then buy stars to feed the shrimp... Plus I have peppermint shrimp...