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nanchil

Crawling Reefer.
Location
Mohegan Lake, NY
Rating - 95%
38   2   0
As I was looking my tank, I noticed my Red linkia star eating asterina star. Is this is common? Wish I had my camera charged and ready :eek:. But I have a crapy iphone pic though...

Thanks.
 

nanchil

Crawling Reefer.
Location
Mohegan Lake, NY
Rating - 95%
38   2   0
Here is the pic...
 

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KathyC

Moderator
Location
Barnum Island
Rating - 100%
200   0   0
Cool pics :starfish:
Yes, they will eat asterinas BUT people should not run out and purchase them for the purpose of keeping an asterina population in check without know the requirements for linkias!

Most importantly they require an well established tank as they eat the film of bacteria that lives on the surfaces in the tank - like that slimey kind substance you feel on your glass. If the tank is not well established, they will die a slow death of starvation.
Acclimation is critical as well as never exposing this star to air when moving from bag to tank.

Best off with a pair of Harleys (or just one) if you want to erase your asterina population (not you Nanchil, you were just scoring a cool pic ;))
 

KathyC

Moderator
Location
Barnum Island
Rating - 100%
200   0   0
Very well said Kathy. I am not going to start another debate on arsternia star ........... but they are reef safe :) Please Kathy lets not start this again :lol2:

lol..there you go.. you started it!
(because you KNOW someone will ask what we are talking about here ;))

I will say MOST asterinas are reef safe, but some are not. The regular 'beige' -ish colored ones are just fine and great little algae eaters.

There is indisputable evidence that certain asterinas do in fact eat zoas.
The asterinas that have blue or green coloration in them are NOT good for a reef tank.
They are not mistakenly eating algae off zoas and consuming the zoas in error, they zero in on the zoas and eat 'em like candy.
 

TRIGGERMAN

Advanced Reefer
Location
Staten Island
Rating - 100%
172   0   0
Honestly I was always on Team asterina saying that the white ones are ok and don't eat zoos but it's 100% FALSE. Just recently I have seen SEVERAL of these little bastards eating my zoos not to mention A LOT have disappeared now that I have tons of asterinas in my tank. If anyone wants to trade a frag or something for some harlequin food I am all about it! Come get'em.
 

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