Starfish a problem?

[SnowManSnow]

I've been noticing an abundance of little tan colored starfish in my tank over the last 3 or 4 months. They are mostly oddly shaped, and like to come out at night. I cant get a pic of the guys.. so I'm hoping someone can help me out with an id.

color = light tan
legs 2-3.5 (not perfect stars)
size = about the size of a pencil eraser

any ideas? are these guys nipping on my zoas (they havent opened up well since they've been in my new tank).

Thanks,

B.

 

[SnowManSnow]

looks like this

 

[Anonymous]

asterina starfish

IMO nothing to worry about, others will claim they are brutal SPS killers, I suggest you find out for yourself how bad they are.

 

[bleedingthought]

I have asterinas also but never noticed them nipping at anything.

If you like your zoas, pick them out.

 

[Dewman]

I have about 30 of them inb my 10 gallon. I have never seen them "on" anything except grazing on one side of the tank I let grow with algae.

I would say exercise caution and keep an eye on them. Never know when a starfish might want to change it's diet.

When Starfish Go Bad - coming to a theatre near you :lol:

 

[waymack97]

hey snow i had 100s of this little guys and let me tell ya this split all the time. i went out to my lfs and bought a harleqin shrimp, two weeks later not a one left and none to this date, but once he cleans them up you would have to feed him whole stars, and that gets pricey. after going through a few linkas i ask my lfs if i could trade him for some salt, and he did(yea). just an idea. they are really cool how they eat the larger stars, they inject them and slowly eat them, sometime they even feed them to keep them alive while they eat on them.
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[bleedingthought]

sometime they even feed them to keep them alive while they eat on them.

Wow, that's crazy!

 

[Anonymous]

I have a few hundred of them as well. Probably pushing a thousand lol. I have never noticed them on anything but the rocks. I have healthy growing corals of the sps, lps and soft variety and have not noticed them on any of them. They help clean the tank as far as I am concerned and are of no worry to me.