Asterina star solution

[Akwarius]

I'm looking for some creative solutions to invasive asterina stars. They are the bad ones, ie attacking my zoanthid colonies and appear greenish-gray under daylights. I have had a large harlequin shrimp for several months and he couldnt care less about them. Dunno, maybe I got the only harlequin on the planet that doesnt like the taste of stars. Manual removal is almost out of the question, as I have many frags and unreachable places in my live rock. Is there a way to lure them all into one location or trap them? Please help!

 

[reefpeeper]

Maybe remove the shrimp and try another. Can u have two in one tank. I had same problem and my harliquin took care of it.

 

[Hyprviperx]

i just read a story by someone, im not sure if it was on here, but they recommended bumble bee shrimp, however it does say they will usually leave them (asterina) alone if there is ample food elsewhere in the tank

 

[Hyprviperx]

also they feed on the tube feet of starfish and urchins just like harlequins

 

[swannyson7]

Can u have two in one tank?

You can have a pair of harlequins, but same sexed specimens will often fight unless the system is big enough.

How large of a system? If it's a very large system, the single harlequin may just not be keeping up with the reproductive rate of the asterinas. I've found that manual removal is the best bet. Go in with a flashlight after lights off and remove as many as you can each night for a couple weeks and then the harlequin should be able to keep up with the dwindling population.

 

[emerald525]

I have a 150 gallon and had great success with a Harlequin. I had a male and added a female later too so you can add another Harlequin. My guess too is there just may be too many for one Harlequin as surely he would have starved by now.

The only downfall is now that the asterinas are gone I have to feed it a chocolate chip star periodically.

 

[Akwarius]

i just read a story by someone, im not sure if it was on here, but they recommended bumble bee shrimp, however it does say they will usually leave them (asterina) alone if there is ample food elsewhere in the tank

Never heard of it, but sounds interesting...

How large of a system? If it's a very large system, the single harlequin may just not be keeping up with the reproductive rate of the asterinas. I've found that manual removal is the best bet. Go in with a flashlight after lights off and remove as many as you can each night for a couple weeks and then the harlequin should be able to keep up with the dwindling population.

180 gallons between two tanks and one sump. Manual removal is going to take forever unless I can lure them to one area of the tank.

I have a 150 gallon and had great success with a Harlequin. I had a male and added a female later too so you can add another Harlequin. My guess too is there just may be too many for one Harlequin as surely he would have starved by now.

The only downfall is now that the asterinas are gone I have to feed it a chocolate chip star periodically.

Have you ever actually witnessed your harlequin eating an asterina? I have never caught mine in the act and I honestly couldnt tell you what the heck he's surviving on. Maybe I got a dud.

 

[Hyprviperx]

Asterina starfish cure? - UltimateReef.com

this is where i saw it... sorry to post another forum guys

 

[emerald525]

Have you ever actually witnessed your harlequin eating an asterina? I have never caught mine in the act and I honestly couldnt tell you what the heck he's surviving on. Maybe I got a dud.

Yes I witnessed them eating them. I would pluck them off the glass and feed them to them and they would go nuts for them. Most of the time I didn't . I just saw the population slowly dwindle

 

[clowns101]

So if I add a Harlequin Shrimp will it fight with my other shrimp?My coral banded?

 

[xgame2k]

get some bongo shrimp.

 

[emerald525]

So if I add a Harlequin Shrimp will it fight with my other shrimp?My coral banded?

I had 2 cleaner shrimp and 2 fire shrimp that didn't bother the Harlequins but I would be leery of the coral banded shrimp.

 

[Akwarius]

Asterina starfish cure? - UltimateReef.com

this is where i saw it... sorry to post another forum guys

Adult size of 1" might be too enticing for some of my larger fish. I'll grab some from LA the next time I order and follow up with the results.

 

[Akwarius]

I had 2 cleaner shrimp and 2 fire shrimp that didn't bother the Harlequins but I would be leery of the coral banded shrimp.

I have a coral banded with the harlequin with no problems.

 

[emerald525]

I have a coral banded with the harlequin with no problems.

Good to know! Thanks!

 

[Crooks]

 

[droblack]

I'm pretty sure a melanurus wrasse would wipe them out.

 

[Akwarius]

I'm pretty sure a melanurus wrasse would wipe them out.

I bought a melanurus four months ago to help prevent zoa nudis, and he has never touched the asterinas.


Crooks, you're making me so freakin jealous with those pics!

 

[emerald525]

Yeah my melanarus does a great job cleaning corals but doesn't do much for the asterinas. Oh yeah that's the other reason I got a Harlequin. They are so cool looking!

 

[mnat]

I have used a harlequin in the past, after a while he started taking asterina stars out of my wife's hands. We lost him in a tank reshuffling, but he was great. We also have bumblebee's in our 12g, the nice thing about them is they will eat asterinas but they will also take prepared foods so when they wipe out the asterinas you can still keep them. I have not found bongo's locally, I would love to try them. I have the same issue in my 30g, I have pulled the little buggers off of zoas and tossed them right into my RBTA but they still multiply. Good luck they are annoying.