mini stars?

[txstateunivreefer]

ok well looking over the reef last night with a flashlight i noticed that i had an abundance of small tan starfish all about 1.5 cm across anyone else have these any benefits or harm that i should know about? i went ahead and threw the 15 i saw into the fuge just to be safe

[ClownReef®]

They are Asterina stars. No threat. They feed on algea and reproduce quite fast. No need to worry. IF you dont like them, take them out. But they are not a danger to your tank.

[tony]

i bought a harlequin shrimp to cut down on mine. he seems happy and ive got much less of those things (i had tons of them)

[ClownReef®]

PLEASE DON'T go buy a harlequin shrimp txstate. They feed ONLY on starfish and once they go through the population of asterinas in your tank, it will die. Like i said, if you dont like the stars in your tank, pick them out and throw them away.

The Asterina family is HUGE!. Some eat coral tissue and some dont but for the most part they are reef safe, feeding on algea. Keep an eye on your coral and if you see any changes, just pick them out.

Maybe Christina (C.Mydas) will chime in.

[tony]

PLEASE DON'T go buy a harlequin shrimp txstate. They feed ONLY on starfish and once they go through the population of asterinas in your tank, it will die. Like i said, if you dont like the stars in your tank, pick them out and throw them away.


who says he is going to go through the population in a tank?

[cpreefguy]

if I see those mini starfish, I just take them out. better safe that sorry IMO.
there are also relatives to the harlequin shrimp that will eat these guys, and also eat frozen:
bumble bee shrimp
http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20050520182548/www.liveaquaria.com/images/products/bigimage/lg_80360.jpg
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1969

[ClownReef®]

Who? common sense. When they run out of asterinas they will have nothing else to eat. I had H. picta's for the longest time. Ive read a lot about them, done tons of research on them. They ONLY feed on echinoderms. Just like a mandarin without a constant supply of copepods.. it WILL die.

EDIT: Thanks Sean

[tony]

Who? common sense. When they run out of asterinas they will have nothing else to eat. I had H. picta's for the longest time. Ive read a lot about them, done tons of research on them. They ONLY feed on echinoderms. Just like a mandarin without a constant supply of copepods.. it WILL die.

EDIT: Thanks Sean


i have had mine for a few months with no problems, as a matter of fact ive probly got enough of those small stars to feed another one. to my knowledge he can only eat the ones i knock down on the sides of the glass which is a few each week. mine has knocked a dent in them, but they are nowhere near extermination and probly wont be any time soon. ive also read of quite a few being kept and fed linkias.

a totally different argument could be made for whether it is a good candidate for captivity period. but the same could be said for probably half the stuff in our tanks.

[cpreefguy]

Good point Tony, I always love seeing carnation corals, gonipora, and elegance corals on the market :unsure

[ClownReef®]

It is a good candidate for captivity. It just needs a tank where his nutritional needs can be met. Just like any other species of fish/invert with the same necessities (i.e same specialized diet needs). There are tons of other inverts that require special diets.

[Jeff]

i wish there were more things that would eat asternias, i'm tired of them eating and killing my zoas.

[Bill S]

I bought 4 Harlequins a couple of weeks ago - sorry ClownReef. I have THOUSANDS of starfish invading my tank. My 55, I've been able to keep up with on a daily basis, but the 215 is just too overwhelming. I have rocks that look more like starfish than rocks. Some of these are known to eat coral and are NOT a good idea in a reef tank. So far, it seems like they are starting to decline, but it's probably just wishful thinking. If, by chance, they get them under control, I'm sure there are MANY other tanks that could offer them a home.

[txstateunivreefer]

well jeff said something about eating and killing zoas do they or am i in good shape

[Bill S]

I've witnessed one mowing a monti. Ever since then, I've tried to get rid of them. Here's some good info:

http://www.garf.org/STAR/starfish.html

And here's pix of one eating a monti: http://www.3reef.com/forums/coral-health/pics-my-montipora-getting-mowed-asterina-starfish-33881.html

[apedroza]

Better to play it safe and just remove them. I caught them in my tank munching on my Montipora. I also had the Harlequins and yes they will erradicate a starfish colony. They will only eat starfish so if you plan on getting them make sure your prepared to offer them starfish once they are done with the asterinas. I had a pair go through a large CC in one week, so small asterinas are nothing to these guys.

[blueboy]

there seems to have been quite a bit of debate on these over the last few years, at first everyone said they were harmless detritovours, then some started noticing them on SPS, and some on zoo that had been mysteriously dissappearing. when mike paletta came down, he showed a pic of a blue one, which was barely visible on a blue milli. i would tend to agree with clownreef, that there appear to be many different kinds, with different diets, some harmless(even beneficial?) others harmfull. i say keep a close eye on them, and look very closely!

[txstateunivreefer]

im following the when in doubt get it out i have alot invested and dont want some starfish ruining all of the work etc i put into the tank i threw some into the mantis tank to see what would happen in there

[Bill S]

And once they gain a hold, there's no stopping them. I wish I'd gotten after them earlier...

[txstateunivreefer]

i hear snapping from the mantis tank :) so mini stars = mantis food

[Ping]

I don't think there is a right answer on this, just like there are no absolutes for a lot of things in our hobby. I have had asternia's in my tank for years and have had no problems. In some tanks they reach plague proportions. If that happens I would speculate that a, Harlequin -prey, balance could be achieved, just like a, mandarin - pod, relationship.

"My personal opinion", I would wait to see if they reach a balance in the tank. Also I would rather lose a shrimp than all my expensive corals.

[LoneStar]

Great perspective Peter.

And if worse comes to worse, way down the line, you will be free of the little stars and have a big, fat, Harlequin for sale :)

[apedroza]

If you do get a harlequin get just one and not the pair. You are more likely to find a balance with one than with a pair. Linkias are their natural foods and those are much bigger stars. They will make short work of the asterinas. So keeping a small one in a tank full of asterinas like bstreep's should sustain it for a long time.

[erebus]

I have a pair of harlequins and they go through a 3 to 6 inch chocolate chip starfish in about 4 to 5 days. So you will need to have a bunch little stars. I did have some when I first got them, but now I haven't seen any at all.

[BIGBIRD123]

I agree...

[LoneStar]

Trust me Tony's got a bunch!

[txstateunivreefer]

i like my mantis solution its free food no more sacraficing hermits and snails

[gcantu]

I too had a boat load of those buggers munching on my zoas and paly's to the point where their head would no longer open. I purchased two harlequins and voila, all gone. Now all I do is purchase a chocolate chip starfish every two weeks and my harlequins are happier than ever.

[C.Mydas]

I think we are over-looking something here. Tony's harlequin would fit on a dime...ok maybe a nickel. The pair I had got to be 3inches each about the size of golf balls. Tonys are probably fine on the mini stars, but a big one would definately need to be fed bigger stars. My pair went through 3-4 4-5inch CCs a month. I would only reccomend people buy these animals if they are willing to feed it after the in tank food source is depleted. Also, linkias are their 'natural' food, but I found that my harlequins preferred the CCs. HTHs

[erebus]

hahaha if you run out, here you go:

http://cgi.ebay.com/5-LIVE-ASTERINA-STARFISH-REFUGIUM-SNAILS-CORAL-CLEANUP_W0QQitemZ140131181281QQihZ004QQcategoryZ46 308QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[ClownReef®]

A dollar for 5 so far...rip off???...LOL

[Bill S]

Winning bid was $16.50 plus $18 shipping. Wow. I'm sitting on a GOLDMINE!!!!

[LoneStar]

wow

[tony]

lolz, maybe i shouldnt have bought the harlequin after all?