Asterina? Six legs

[Lance Fjeseth]

I just saw this star today. He moves quicker that I thought they could move. Is it an asterina? Should I pull it out?

 

[Jfishwild]

Looks like to me

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yup. It’s is.

As much as I like em and all things ocean , after all these years I’d say yea, pull it. You have more.

Not particularly bad imo but it gets old.
Some have been reported to eat stuff.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Yes asterina....If it's light/white colored, it's reef safe. If dark colored, high potential of being a coral eater. You have more than one. Even though they can sexually reproduce, the more common way is to just split in two. With three "new" arms shorter than the others, this guy has recently split.

 

[Lance Fjeseth]

Yup. It’s is.

As much as I like em and all things ocean , after all these years I’d say yea, pull it. You have more.

Not particularly bad imo but it gets old.
Some have been reported to eat stuff.

Thanks for the confirmation. Are they nocturnal? Should I be looking for them after dark? This is the first one I have seen - I have not been checking on my tank at night.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

You can find them all day, but thet do tend to be on the glass at night.

 

[Lance Fjeseth]

Yes asterina....If it's light/white colored, it's reef safe. If dark colored, high potential of being a coral eater. You have more than one. Even though they can sexually reproduce, the more common way is to just split in two. With three "new" arms shorter than the others, this guy has recently split.

This one is white with a couple of darker patches. You say it is reef safe? I don't want my zoas getting munched. Just got done dealing with some nudis that were causing my zoas not to open.

 

[Lance Fjeseth]

You can find them all day, but thet do tend to be on the glass at night.

Thank you! I will start watching for them.