Asterina? Beneficial or pest?

SashimiTurtle · Jul 18, 2017

I think I have an asterina star in my nano. He just showed up today and is cruising the glass. Are these guys good or bad, I've heard mixed reviews.

Ocelaris · Jul 18, 2017

Mine are great little helpers, but some say they eat zoas. Mine never bothered anything, but they multiply exponentially, so if you don't want them, pick them out now!

Rick cowen · Jul 18, 2017

I agree, 1 good, 1 million, horrible

Catchemall · Jul 18, 2017

I'll just leave this here. Oh there just fine until they get the taste for your expensive zoas. I let them be for awhile then had to remove them and peel them off my zoas and they were healthy zoas too. I ain't havin that

SashimiTurtle · Jul 19, 2017

Hmmm, no zoas in this tank. I think I might leave it in there for now. Probably regret that later... haha

moseley75 · Jul 19, 2017

If they take over the tank you can always get a Harlequin shrimp. It will eat them. The drawback to Harlequins is they will eat every starfish in the tank and then they will die from lack of food if you don't put more starfish in there to feed them.

SashimiTurtle · Jul 19, 2017

I imagine that getting expensive. I'd love a harliquin, but I don't want to buy starfish all the time.

joshg · Jul 19, 2017

Pest they eat some coral and coraline

jrwoltman · Jul 19, 2017

Asterina starfish eat corraline, so it is up to you. I have had them in both of my tanks and don't mind them at all. Some people claim that some species of asterina get a taste for hard corals or zoas, but I have never experienced that. Harlequin shrimp love to eat them.

Tahoe61 · Jul 19, 2017

There are hundreds of different types of Asterina, one description of coloration, and food preferences does not fit all. More common types are coralline eaters or film algae, some are coral eaters and some probably become opportunistic feeders.

SashimiTurtle · Jul 19, 2017

I hope this one turns out to be a film algae eater. Seems like it because it's been stuck to the glass. If I see it on coraline or corals I'll scoop him out.

Catchemall · Jul 20, 2017

Mine started on the glass then ended on zoas

SashimiTurtle · Jul 20, 2017

Catchemall said:
Mine started on the glass then ended on zoas

It's an SPS tank. No zoas. Just one duncan, the rest is acros, stylos, birds nest, digitata, poccilopora... He was on the glass for one day, didn't see him last night or this morning. If I see it on the corals, I'll pluck it out.

Catchemall · Jul 20, 2017

Robin Haselden said:
It's an SPS tank. No zoas. Just one duncan, the rest is acros, stylos, birds nest, digitata, poccilopora... He was on the glass for one day, didn't see him last night or this morning. If I see it on the corals, I'll pluck it out.

You'll prob be in good shape then.