Acans & small white Starfish question

[Jdubbs]

Hey Guys,

I've been noticing a large # of small white starfish that have organically grown in my tank recently. I've also noticed 1 or 2 of my 7 acan colonies to star dying at the bottom of the lower polyps and exposing the white calcium base. (I've also lost one full colony of 4-5 polyps). My Acans have always been very healthy and grown - and some still are.

Is there a correlation with the larger number of white starfish and the Acan's depleting?

If the starfish are not healthy for a reef tank, how can I get rid of them? Would a Harlequin shrimp do the trick? How are those shrimp, when keeping in a reef tank?

Thanks!!

 

[KathyC]

Not likely that one is affecting the other.
What are your parameters?

Yes, Harlequin Shrimp will devour the asterinas and they are fine in a reef tank, you just need to feed them live starfish (that is all they eat).
What size is the tank/do you have a huge population of asterinas? If you get more than 1 Harley, they need to be of different sexes or they will kill each other

 

[daisy]

do you have mushrooms in your tank?

Are your acans sitting near mushrooms? I recently discovered that in a battle between mushroom and acan, acans lose.

Good luck!

 

[Jdubbs]

thanks guys - I have a TON of asterinas - they are everywhere - will that suffice for a harley?

I have a 75gallon with a ton of live rock. too much actually but its to tough to move now. Parameters - not sure i never test because i change the water so much (10-15 gallons weekly). I only test mag alk and calc because I does and they are 450 calc - 1300-1350 mag and 10 DKH. I am trying to target feed as much as possible and the other polyps look great- the other colonies are doing great.

i have rics and shrooms but not near acans..

Any other thoughts?

 

[rookie07]

yes, harley will eat the, until they are all gone, then it needs additional, many use chocolate chip starfish.....asterinas can suffocate corals if left unchecked.

 

[SevTT]

Is there a correlation with the larger number of white starfish and the Acan's depleting?

The general consensus seems to be that asterina starfish don't cause damage, but are aggressive scavengers. So if there's something else that's causing stress to the acans, and they're already in bad shape, the stars will show up to eat the carrion.

Now, a Harlie would indeed wipe them out, eventually, but you will have to buy it feeder starfish when the population's low enough that you're not finding them easily.

 

[straightjiggy10]

i think your calcium might be to high 1350 generally 500 in reef limit

 

[LongIslandAndy]

Hi, I agree with SevTT. They are extremely aggressive when a coral is in trouble. I have tried the harley and it was eaten by a christmas wrasse so make sure you take into consideration the fish in your tank.
I hate the asterina stars:grumpy:

The general consensus seems to be that asterina starfish don't cause damage, but are aggressive scavengers. So if there's something else that's causing stress to the acans, and they're already in bad shape, the stars will show up to eat the carrion.

Now, a Harlie would indeed wipe them out, eventually, but you will have to buy it feeder starfish when the population's low enough that you're not finding them easily.