Tiny starfish

[reef lover7]

Before I only have some pineapple sponges in the overflow... now even in my tank has lot of these tiny white starfish like... I wonder if its bad or any suggestion ? Thx

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[royalson87]

pics would help

 

[ClownAquatics]

They are probably asternia stars if they are small and on your glass.

They are known to eat zoas. I usually pluck them off of the glass at night and the morning.

Harlequin shrimp are known to eat them. But the prob is that a harlequin will only eat starfish and may starve after it cleans them all up.



Do they look like this?

 

[reef lover7]

YES . Exactly like that

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[KathyC]

I can't say I agree with the info you were given..regular ivory/beige colored asterina starfish don't eat zoas. They are algae eaters and some look at them as a benefit to the tank as long as there aren't too many of them.

The thread below shows the asterinas that eat zoas.
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/general-discussion/39498-stars-my-nemesis.html

 

[reef lover7]

Yes you did before and I delete it by mistake.

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[thirty5]

I have them in my tank too..

 

[ClownAquatics]

I can't say I agree with the info you were given..regular ivory/beige colored asterina starfish don't eat zoas. They are algae eaters and some look at them as a benefit to the tank as long as there aren't too many of them.

The thread below shows the asterinas that eat zoas.
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/general-discussion/39498-stars-my-nemesis.html

I stand corrected. Sorry about that. At least we were able to ID them!
:thrash:

 

[reef lover7]

Ok thanks guy... I hope it just wont get out of hand too muxh of it

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[reef lover7]

now its started to get out of control..all over my glass and rock....arggg....

 

[fishman1069]

Get a harlequin shrimp. It will devour all of them quickly. Then you have to decide if you want to keep it and buy a chocolate chip starfish every couple of weeks to feed him, or sell him in the marketplace

 

[OwedBigTime]

+1 get them out

 

[reef lover7]

If I get tje shrimp it will also kill my saamd star

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[Jan]

Yes it will. I had to place my sand sifter in my sump when I got my harlequin. I ended up giving the star away. I LOVE my harlequin shrimp. It eats the asterinas little by little. I used to just pick them out, but they've gotten out of hand.

If I get tje shrimp it will also kill my saamd star

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[piranhapat]

Will harlequin shrimp be safe in with scarlet hawk fish?

 

[felix tesler]

Will harlequin shrimp be safe in with scarlet hawk fish?

get a big female harly shrimp and intoduce the shrimp to the sand right away if the shrimp is bigger then the mouth is on the fish then you shouldent have a problem i have kept harles for a long time most fish will leave them alone and as delicate as they look they can get very protective my harly pinched me one time because i tryed to take a star away from it i pair is always nice i dont feed it much people think its like crazy feed but i give is one sand sifter every three weeks its also cool to watch them eat

 

[Donewiththisplace]

Have had them in my tank for about a year and a half.. I havent noticed any ill effects from them or harming coral in any way.

They were getting up there in numbers though..so to reduce the numbers I took a net and scraped them off the glass each morning for about 3 or 4 days. I removed approximately 75 of these stars and since then have noticed the population drop.

Should it become a problem again I would do the same thing.