So what eats Asterinas?

[Europhyllia]

I wonder what kept the asterina population in my big tank in check?
I figured I didn't have any but now that all livestock is out and most of the water is drained I am finding some asterinas and several babies!
How crazy is that?
The whole time the tank was up I never saw any!
They seem to big for the porcelain crabs since they are more into floating foods.
Hermit crabs? Do hermits eat asterinas?
Or my shortspine urchins?

[hobogato]

harlequin shrimp are the only thing i know of. maybe your anemone shrimp was eating them?

[Europhyllia]

I am pretty sure I didn't have harlequin shrimp in the tank! lol

[kkiel02]

In my 180 I had them and the numbers stayed down. Now in my 375 I see them more often. I think it just comes down to if they have enough to eat because some tanks get overrun while others just have a couple. Harlequins are the only thing that I know of that eats them.

BTW I have no idea what they do eat.

[Kristy]

Pretty sure the urchins eat coralline algae, or at least that's what folks complain about. It wouldn't surprise me to hear that your urchin kept the asterinas under control. Those guys do quite a lot of munching around the tank.

Can't tell you how many times Mike and I have had this conversation...
Me: "Maybe we should get a harlequin shrimp to eat all these stupid asterinas!"
Mike: "That would be cool. But they might eat the other starfish in the tank too."
Me: (thinking this over) ....
Mike: "Like your basket star."
Me: "OH! No harlequin shrimp for us!!!"

[Europhyllia]

I think people dislike them because they eat coralline algae (although that sounds pretty awesome to me!)

[BSJF]

Thanks for the reminder that they would eat my other starfish. Since I have been traveling and shortcutting my WC process, my population has gone crazy.

[Europhyllia]

hm. so lack of water change = population explosion
Interesting! I wonder why
(obviously zero WC in a drained tank with stagnant water left in the overflows)

[justahobby]

In my BC14 I had asterinas. Added a pistol shrimp that I rarely fed and my stars disappeared. Sad day :-p