small white starfish everywhere....what eats em?

[Reilly Stv]

is there anything I can add that might reduce the number of these suckers

 

[mgonz]

yes. you can get yourself a harlequin shrimp they eat them.

 

[Reefers]

They are called Asterina. They are harmless although they can multiply like crazy. They are great detrivores and will also munch on dead coral tissue. You can remove them by hand or as mgonz said, use of a harlequin shrimp will get rid of them pretty fast. Personally I'd leave them in as they add to the biodiversity of your reef.

 

[ken6217]

I had literally had more than 500 of these in my tank. I would wake up in the morning when the lights were off and they would be all over the glass. I bought a harlequin shrimp and I do not know if it ate any or not, but the best method for me was to get them out myself. I took tubing and siphoned them off of the glass and then put the water back in the tank. I did this over a 3 day period. I then over the next couple of days I saw maybe 10 or so and I took those out. I haven't seen any since and this was a couple of months ago.
Ken

 

[Phyl]

A harlequin will not ever finish them off (and you will have to regularly feed them chocolate chip starfish to supplement their diet). If they are multiplying like crazy it is a result of the detritus in your system. Limit that and you will limit the population of asterinas. Manual removal (and the removal of detritus) are your best bets.

 

[Whitebird1]

They are called Asterina. They are harmless although they can multiply like crazy. They are great detrivores and will also munch on dead coral tissue. You can remove them by hand or as mgonz said, use of a harlequin shrimp will get rid of them pretty fast. Personally I'd leave them in as they add to the biodiversity of your reef.

I agree with this, as they multiply I scoop them with a net and they go into the sump so they do not get out of hand. I have never seen them hurt anything.
GregH

 

[Reilly Stv]

thanks to all...perhaps i've been feeding a little much!!!

 

[Gonzapa]

I had an "otbreak of them ' about 3 months ago and all of a sudden they dissapeared. I dont remember seing one for over a month now. They probably starved themselves to dath

 

[premilove]

i read somewhere that once they start developing redish brown spots they become carnivorous? is this true?
...Taken from nano-reef.com--
"Class: Asteroidea
Order: Spinulosida

Asterina starfish, or more commonly known as Fiji starfish are generally dime sized or smaller with a large body, irregular arm length, and an irregular number of arms. They tend to hide among corals and in the crevices of the live rock during the day and can sometimes be seen clinging to the corners of the tank. This type of starfish has been shown to eat coralline algae and some corals; specifically acropora, xenia, green star polyps, zoanthids, and several types of soft leather corals. These starfish divide across the main body with two or three legs of varying lengths and multiply rapidly. Remove these starfish if they start to bother your corals."

 

[mgonz]

I've seen them feasting on some of my coral so i got the harliquim shrimp and seems to keep them under control.

 

[Tazmaniancowboy]

i read somewhere that once they start developing redish brown spots they become carnivorous? is this true?
...Taken from nano-reef.com--
"Class: Asteroidea
Order: Spinulosida

Asterina starfish, or more commonly known as Fiji starfish are generally dime sized or smaller with a large body, irregular arm length, and an irregular number of arms. They tend to hide among corals and in the crevices of the live rock during the day and can sometimes be seen clinging to the corners of the tank. This type of starfish has been shown to eat coralline algae and some corals; specifically acropora, xenia, green star polyps, zoanthids, and several types of soft leather corals. These starfish divide across the main body with two or three legs of varying lengths and multiply rapidly. Remove these starfish if they start to bother your corals."

Is this true? I was told they are harmless also and that they never grow up to any size. I now hae a few and 2 that are almost the size of a quarter with red and brown spots on them. They are also shaped like a perfect star.

Taz

 

[Phyl]

I've never seen one that was any bigger than a pea. Not sure what happens if they get larger. If they got the size of a dime I'd reach in and arm wrestle the bugger out of the tank. That's pretty big!

 

[Tazmaniancowboy]

I've never seen one that was any bigger than a pea. Not sure what happens if they get larger. If they got the size of a dime I'd reach in and arm wrestle the bugger out of the tank. That's pretty big!

LOL, I'm thinking about doing that now!...You want one ;D

Taz

 

[duijver]

I don't have many in my tank (and I've imported them!), but I have seen them chowing down on bubble algae on more than one occasion.

 

[paintman27]

I just put a harley in my tank about a week ago after seeing the starfish eating my zoos!
well i thought that i had perhaps 50 of the little buggers in my tank at best.
let me tell ya 30 minutes after putting harley in my tank i had asternias by the hundreds crawling up the front pane of my tank I don't know what happens but somehow they know when theres a harley in the tank i bet you ive pulled 200 out of my tank within the last 3 or 4 days! best 30 bucks ive spent on this hobby in a long time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ken6217]

A harlequin will not ever finish them off (and you will have to regularly feed them chocolate chip starfish to supplement their diet). If they are multiplying like crazy it is a result of the detritus in your system. Limit that and you will limit the population of asterinas. Manual removal (and the removal of detritus) are your best bets.

Actually once I siphoned all of these out of the tank, I "gravel siphoned" my shallow sand bed for the first time since my tank was set up and I have not seen anymore of these.
Ken