Are sea stars (star 'fish) eating my seri (bird's nest)?!
- Thread starter CTaylor
- Start date
Get rid of the starfish, then feed your shrimp, just as you would feed any new fish or corals. I don't have any experience with harlequins, but I would expect that they would eat any meaty foods that you fed them.
Maybe somebody with harlequins will tune in.
Mitch
Come to think of it, my LFS has always told me that if i need to borrow an animal for this type of thing, I am welcome to. Got a good LFS that you're loyal to?
[ December 15, 2001: Message edited by: Carpentersreef ]</p>
Maybe somebody with harlequins will tune in.
Mitch
Come to think of it, my LFS has always told me that if i need to borrow an animal for this type of thing, I am welcome to. Got a good LFS that you're loyal to?
[ December 15, 2001: Message edited by: Carpentersreef ]</p>
it seems these shrimp eat only star-fish. I guess there would also go my cool britlle stars that live in the live rock.
I thought of cluturing some of the bad guys in a little tank or something. I'll cut up a few of them through their oral disks. The pieces then grow into all new star fish. I'm guessing the stars don't eat ONLY coral. Then I'll feed the excess stars to the shrimp. Would this work? I dont want the little shrimp to die. Or am I just being too nice, and should just make him a martyr!?
I thought of cluturing some of the bad guys in a little tank or something. I'll cut up a few of them through their oral disks. The pieces then grow into all new star fish. I'm guessing the stars don't eat ONLY coral. Then I'll feed the excess stars to the shrimp. Would this work? I dont want the little shrimp to die. Or am I just being too nice, and should just make him a martyr!?
it seems these shrimp eat only star-fish. I guess there would also go my cool britlle stars that live in the live rock.
I thought of cluturing some of the bad guys in a little tank or something. I'll cut up a few of them through their oral disks. The pieces then grow into all new star fish. I'm guessing the stars don't eat ONLY coral. Then I'll feed the excess stars to the shrimp. Would this work? I dont want the little shrimp to die. Or am I just being too nice, and should just make him a martyr!?
I thought of cluturing some of the bad guys in a little tank or something. I'll cut up a few of them through their oral disks. The pieces then grow into all new star fish. I'm guessing the stars don't eat ONLY coral. Then I'll feed the excess stars to the shrimp. Would this work? I dont want the little shrimp to die. Or am I just being too nice, and should just make him a martyr!?
I am totally AGAINST making any animal a martyr.
Do you know any other reefers that could share the shrimp?
I don't know about breeding the stars.
What about borrowing one from the LFS?
If nothing else, keep picking out the stars as you find them.
Mitch
Do you know any other reefers that could share the shrimp?
I don't know about breeding the stars.
What about borrowing one from the LFS?
If nothing else, keep picking out the stars as you find them.
Mitch
ffexpress has them for FORTY dollars each. Jeese! Expensive little shrimp. Does anyone know if you can get them to eat normal food? And a cheaper place to get them?
Or other bad sea star predator, that wont eat corals, tube worms, clams (in general reef-safe)?
thanx!
Or other bad sea star predator, that wont eat corals, tube worms, clams (in general reef-safe)?
thanx!
Borrowing one would be a good idea. But i'm sure the shrimp would never bring the population of the adult stars and larvae to 0. The shrimp might bring the population way down so the shrimp cant survive anymore if it feeds only on them. But if I return it back to the LFS, I would think the stars would soon be back (mostly 'new' ones from larvae or something).
Any other ideas. Maybe they do eat something else? Maybe there is a different star eater? Someone told me that maybe a 6 line wrasse might do it. (???)
Also, these stars seem to like only my birdsnest. I have not seen them on my porites, monti, pocilypora, nor the one acro I have ( a table). I really like the birdsnest, so getting rid of it is the last of my options.
thanx!
Any other ideas. Maybe they do eat something else? Maybe there is a different star eater? Someone told me that maybe a 6 line wrasse might do it. (???)
Also, these stars seem to like only my birdsnest. I have not seen them on my porites, monti, pocilypora, nor the one acro I have ( a table). I really like the birdsnest, so getting rid of it is the last of my options.
thanx!
I think I remember seeing someplace that starfish are very sensitive to salinity changes. Is there a safe-zone of salinity change for fish and corals that would be lethal to the star fish? I also have hermit crabs in the tank.
I could take out the fish and corals. I would first take out all the live rock to get the fish out, then put the live rock back in the tank and do the salinity drop. If I visually inpect my corals (montipora, the acro, and others that I can easily inspect) and pick off all sea stars, is it possible that there would be larvae that are invisible that would still be on them? If so, then how possible?
I'd then add salt to bring back the salinity to original levels.
If I take everything out but the live rock, would a change from 1.026 down to 1.020 be enough? or more to 1.017?
After I get input from this, then I'll try to figure out the best way to raise the salinity.
I could take out the fish and corals. I would first take out all the live rock to get the fish out, then put the live rock back in the tank and do the salinity drop. If I visually inpect my corals (montipora, the acro, and others that I can easily inspect) and pick off all sea stars, is it possible that there would be larvae that are invisible that would still be on them? If so, then how possible?
I'd then add salt to bring back the salinity to original levels.
If I take everything out but the live rock, would a change from 1.026 down to 1.020 be enough? or more to 1.017?
After I get input from this, then I'll try to figure out the best way to raise the salinity.
I dont have a pic of the stars...
But they are little bitties. They are off-white on their underside, and greyish on their top side. They are often on the glass. Some seem to have a complete array of arms (none missing) with 5 arms, some 6, some 7. I'm quite sure they are all the same species (at least they look exactly the same except arm #). At first I thought 'how cute, sea stars'. I have since seen them on my bird's nest. I know that after the sea start leaves that part it was on, it leaves dead coral skeleton. What I dont know is if the coral was already dead in that spot prior to the sea star visit. I know, pics of before and after would help. And I'll do that. But if someone knows yes or no already on this (eating coral or not), please tell.
thanx!
But they are little bitties. They are off-white on their underside, and greyish on their top side. They are often on the glass. Some seem to have a complete array of arms (none missing) with 5 arms, some 6, some 7. I'm quite sure they are all the same species (at least they look exactly the same except arm #). At first I thought 'how cute, sea stars'. I have since seen them on my bird's nest. I know that after the sea start leaves that part it was on, it leaves dead coral skeleton. What I dont know is if the coral was already dead in that spot prior to the sea star visit. I know, pics of before and after would help. And I'll do that. But if someone knows yes or no already on this (eating coral or not), please tell.
thanx!
I think I can answer my own question. YES THEY ARE!
. I pulled the sea star that was just on the coral, and found a few straglling polyps, like mini-RTN (but not quite like it). I'm sure the star was munching down.
HOW DO I GET RID OF THESE F***RS? Without chemicals, though. I dont seem to have a ton. I've never seen more than 6 on the glass (of my 38 gallon tank) at once. Is my only choice to pick them out? Is there a chance I have a heavy infestation that I don't see?
thanx!
HOW DO I GET RID OF THESE F***RS? Without chemicals, though. I dont seem to have a ton. I've never seen more than 6 on the glass (of my 38 gallon tank) at once. Is my only choice to pick them out? Is there a chance I have a heavy infestation that I don't see?
thanx!
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