Starfish?

[svreef]

We spotted this thing today - looks like a developing starfish?

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[Bruce Spiegelman]

Asterina Starfish. As long as they don't get out of hand they aren't bad for a tank, but if your nutrient levels are high they can multiply quickly and take over a tank. I remove them by hand everytime I see them (usually on the glass at night) in order to keep them in check. A Harlequin shrimp will feast on them, but the problem is once they are all gone the shrimp will starve. Usually reefers rehome them at that point.

 

[MolaMola]

Asterina. Like a small starfish that can take different shapes/number of arms. Stays small. Many people consider it a pest because they can multiply and go everywhere in the tank including on corals.

 

[Coral reefer]

And they eat Zoas sometimes

 

[ashburn2k]

And they eat Zoas sometimes

Only those that are dying and melting


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[JVU]

Only those that are dying and melting


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This is a debated topic, but I and many others have seen them eat healthy zoas. Generally only when they get to very high numbers, and they seem to prefer small type zoas. And people hypothesize there are different types of asterinas, some that are more likely to eat them.

 

[Coral reefer]

Only those that are dying and melting


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I disagree. The only ones I have ever actual seen them eat were my healthy tubbs blues

 

[Bruce Spiegelman]

Suffice it to say that there's enough anecdotal evidence of them occasionally eating Zoas that you want to be careful they don't overpopulate.