Derek Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 I have a lot of these really tiny white starfish in my aquarium. I'm 95% sure they are asterina starfish, however, I do sometimes see them on my polyps. I have lost a few smaller polyp colonies because they seem to "melt" away. I just looked at a polyp that was "melting" and noticed that a small starfish was on it. Are asterina starfish harmful? If so, how the heck do I get rid of them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemcd Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Derek, I'll be watching this topic closely because I have the same issue and from time to time see them on a soft coral or two in my tank. I seem to remember people commenting they are not good for your tank and some say don't worry about them. I have just been manually picking them out when I have them crawl up the glass to a point where I can pick them out, but thats a tedious pain after a while. Interested to see if there's a solution.... MJM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramsey Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 They're asterina and I have had the same problem with them eating zoas. I'm not sure if they eat them or just irritate them to death. Either way, you should get Harlequin or Bongo shrimp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barderer Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 don't know = do kill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Derek, You are opening up a can of worms with this topic But I think there is a general consensus that there are two types of asterna stars. Those that eat zoas, and those that don't. I don't really know of a way to tell the difference. From my own experience, I have always had asterna stars in my tank, and they don't seem to bother my zoas at all... and I have a lot of zoas. Maybe the star on your melted zoas was just scavenging a dead/dyign coral. Hard to say. And on the zoa front, I have had colonies just up and melt away for no reason, while other are just fine. In fact I have two doing that right now. They were happy a few days ago, but sicne then they are closed up and somewhat melting... though others in the tank are just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+etannert Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Derek, what I have read is that the white ones are fine whereas the grey ones are zoa predators. In general they are detritus scavengers and so a normal part of your tank's clean up crew. I have found that the astern population is cyclical; they may overpropogate for a time, but some will eventually die out due to lack of food etc., and then you'll only have a few. If you are really concerned you can pick them out, or siphon them at water changes, or get a Harlequin shrimp, but you have to be prepared to farm chocolate chip stars or to sell it once the asterinas are all gone. As far as zoas melting, yes, this does happen for no apparent rhyme or reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 . . . From my own experience, I have always had asterna stars in my tank, and they don't seem to bother my zoas at all... and I have a lot of zoas. Maybe the star on your melted zoas was just scavenging a dead/dyign coral. Hard to say. And on the zoa front, I have had colonies just up and melt away for no reason, while other are just fine. . . +1 I'm definitely in the scavenger camp on this one. GARF swears there are species which eat SPS and there might be but I haven't seen it. I also have both the white and grey in the same tank and think it's just variable coloration. If they bother you just syphon them off when you do water changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 . . . From my own experience, I have always had asterna stars in my tank, and they don't seem to bother my zoas at all... and I have a lot of zoas. Maybe the star on your melted zoas was just scavenging a dead/dyign coral. Hard to say. And on the zoa front, I have had colonies just up and melt away for no reason, while other are just fine. . . +1 I'm definitely in the scavenger camp on this one. GARF swears there are species which eat SPS and there might be but I haven't seen it. I also have both the white and grey in the same tank and think it's just variable coloration. If they bother you just syphon them off when you do water changes. Ten to the ten power. This conversation could just have easily have substituted "bristle worms" to get to the same discussion. Ditrivores are part of the cean-up crew. While most American reef hobbist skip over the year it taks to set up a mature sand bed, I do not. I put more effort into the bottome of the food chain. If you want diversity, let time be on your side. The ditrivores clean up the mess and the strong will survive. With respect to the micro-stars. Catch them and sell them for $2 each, you may get rich. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I'm sure there are polyp eating starfishes out there, but to my experience (having both the standard and darker gray ones), I have never attributed them to killing my zoas. I have had some on the colonies that are dying but I deduce that they are doing there job, removing dead matter/tissue. I think the starfish are a result of the dying colony, not the cause. The populations of them do rise and fall through the years I've had my tank. And yes to the zoa colonies just randomly melting. I have roughly 20 different varieties and all are doing great and 2 are melting. It's just the nature of it and I don't concern myself over it to much anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaarrrggg Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 You could try adding some Bongo Shrimp or Bumblebee Shrimp. They're like Harlequin shrimp, but smaller so they eat mini stars! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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