Asterina predator

[alliecat]

Ok so I've had an explosion of asterina stars in my 55 and my zoa colonies are thinning out as a result. Those little buggers are ALWAYS on them. Is there a predator for them? I'd get harlequin shrimp but the problem with that is that I've got a Valentini puffer... Who obviously won't eat them... But will probably eat the shrimp knowing my luck...

 

[cpayne015]

puffer will eat the shrimp no doubt

 

[alliecat]

That's my problem lol

 

[jgraz]

Manual removal is the only way. Wrasses won't really touch them. Pick them off and feed the puffer.

 

[alliecat]

Yea maybe he'll eat them that way he likes to be hand fed

 

[John Ford]

A pair of tweezers and time is your best bet. During water changes You could use a 1/2" hose to suck them off the rocks. In time you will get the upper hand. Good luck!

 

[bullysam]

Harlequin did the job in my tank.....suggestion...maybe take the puffer out into a different/qt tank while harlequin eradicate the pests....could take about a week......just a suggestion for you

 

[Triggreef]

You should check your disappearing colonies at night with a flash light. Look for zoa eating nudi. Some think astrinas will eat coral, or that there's different kinds of Asturinas & some do some dont. I would just look else where first.

 

[swseipel]

asteria starfish

I am starting to get them as well but they seem to eat my coraline algae. I read their are different types....eat different stuff.....zoas, algae

 

[Oakland Reef]

I had 100's of those little buggers in my 140 gal mixed reef. Never touched my zoas but i suspected they me eating the coraline so I got one harlequin shrimp and they were all gone in a month. He also has eaten 2 chocolate chip stars in the that time too. amazing.

 

[3D-Reef]

You need to get a blue Linckia starfish. It may take a while for him to do the job, but he will get the job done eventually.

 

[Aqua fire/medic]

You need to get a blue Linckia starfish. It may take a while for him to do the job, but he will get the job done eventually.

I've heard this before but I'm not so sure. I purchased a blue linkia and had thousands of asterina. Linkia only lasted about 4 months and I never noticed a decline in asterina stars. One halequin took care of them in a few months.

 

[3D-Reef]

I've heard this before but I'm not so sure. I purchased a blue linkia and had thousands of asterina. Linkia only lasted about 4 months and I never noticed a decline in asterina stars. One halequin took care of them in a few months.

I had the same experience...only it was with a harlequin shrimp. I bought a blue starfish and they all have disappeared. Now I have to look real close to find one.
I can't explain why /what happened with yours,but I have seen mine chowing down on them.

 

[Mrchong156]

Yeah harlequin shrimps are a sure fire way of getting em

 

[Rob Top1]

Always believed they only eat coraline and never really card about how many I had. From time to time I would manually remove several dozen but I was OK with the lack of coraline. Recently I saw one wrapped around an acro and when moved him there was no tissue in that spot. Picked up a couple harlequin shrimp the next day. That was last Wednesday and I have noticed a huge drop in their number. Interestingly i think i have a male female pair. One has a lot of blue markings and the other doesn't

 

[alliecat]

Can't get a harlequin or linckia due to the puffer

 

[alliecat]

And I do watch at night they are ALWAYS on my zoa colonies that's like the only place they go

 

[alliecat]

My friend gave me his falco hawkfish last night since he was taking his tank down... Maybe he'll eat them?

 

[alliecat]

Just a thought... I have a bunch of huge BTAs I wonder if they'll eat the little buggers

 

[alliecat]

I finally came up with a solution to my problem. I'm going to put a harlequin shrimp in my refugium. That way I can keep tossing asterinas in there and I will never completely run out because the shrimp will be isolated AND the shrimp won't get eaten by my puffer or hawkfish