Asterina Starfish eating zoanthids (what are your thoughts)

Eklikewhoa · May 22, 2008

I think a member of another forum was breeding bristles or mini-bristles for a harley and it would not touch them.

I might swing by and get one myself this weekend.....always wanted one and didn't know for sure if asternia would suffice....also they are only $25 at the LFS

revhtree · May 22, 2008

Ship me one!

mpoletti · May 22, 2008

Rev- I have losy more than a few polyps over time due to asterinas. When Rommel intoduced his utlimate oranges, I was able to two. They grew to about 12. That is when the asterinas found out that they liked them. I lost all but a half a polyp. I then transfered tanks and I now have 1 full polyp again

I got a harelquin, and in combination with me pulling asterinas out but the handfuls, my numbers are under control. They are also really cool.

JGoslee · May 22, 2008

I have a bunch of astrinas but I've never noticed them doing any damage. My sixline wrasse likes to eat them.

Eklikewhoa · May 22, 2008

I wouldn't mind shipping you one if you are in a next zone for USPS....I shipped something the other day overnight via UPS and it was $70!!!! didn't even weigh a full lb.

Can't do FedEx either cause I have never found the main branch and end up lost trying to find it.

revhtree · May 22, 2008

My zip is 30741 let me know if it would make it.

THANKS!

Who Dah? · May 22, 2008

JGoslee said:
I have a bunch of astrinas but I've never noticed them doing any damage. My sixline wrasse likes to eat them.

Wow, you've got a valuable sixline there!

LorenK · May 22, 2008

Rev, if you want to come down south a bit, Sal at Saltwatercity can get them (Kennissaw).

I am curious about my serpent stars...would they be at risk? I'd hate to loose the one I've had since I started my tank. But I do want to get rid of the asterinas.

Eklikewhoa · May 24, 2008

revhtree said:
My zip is 30741 let me know if it would make it. THANKS!

Seems as though USPS does not cover you for next day via express.....anything else would be far too expensive compared to what some online retailers might sell for.

I went to the LFS today and went through all of the harlequins they had, found one female out of about 10 so I went ahead and picked up the single female to see how it would do in my tank with the fish that are in there. If all goes well when the lights come on in the morning then I will go back and get a male.

Also started up a 10g tank on the side for harvesting starfish legs....will be picking up a few chocolate stars to rotate.

Kigs! · May 24, 2008

My hawaiian pair does a great job of catching the occasional asterinas that seem to come through frags. Of course before you know it, they will deplete the population and you'll be feeding them chocolate chip stars once a month or so.

Kinda gross? But I still like them - they've been with me for almost a year now.

Eklikewhoa · May 24, 2008

Any problems with the needle like skeleton from the starfish irritating the corals? Been reading up on it and there is talk about that.

Kigs! · May 24, 2008

Well, my pair has developed this system of dragging the starfish towards the back of the tank and finishing it off there. It was a rare moment for me to see them eating the CCS out in the open in those pics. I did read about what you're mentioning in this article below, but I haven't noticed any coral irritation throughout my year of keeping them. Instead of needle-like, what's usually left over are pebble like insides of the CCS.

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/harlequinshrimp.html

shred5 · May 24, 2008

I beleive there are several different types of these little starfish some are bad and some are not. THe thing with harlequin shrimp is they can go through these little stars pretty fast and then what? They do a service in the wild. If people buy them for this purpose once they are done doing their job please trade them to someone else who has this problem.

Dave

cee · May 24, 2008

I cut legs off my star to feed my Harley. The star stays in the sump and can last 1/2 a year by using this method. Way back in the '80s I used to freeze stars for feeding Harleys. You know when they're hungry because they start wandering around the tank a lot searching.

Dave

Eklikewhoa · May 24, 2008

When you cut the leg off does the open wound rot or does it heal? I have a sump and though about doing that but the idea of a big 'ole star rotting in my sump doesn't sit well with me.

I have a spare tank that I am tossing around the idea of using for harvesting the CCS but anyone know how much attention to detail they require? Was gonna just fill it with water and slap a powerhead in there for them....possibly use some LR from my sump.

cee · May 24, 2008

Blue linkias heal, but it takes months. I always watch the stars, but have not had one rot or die yet due to amputation.

Dave

revhtree · May 24, 2008

I Need One Of These!!!

Eklikewhoa · May 24, 2008

Got any cool trades rev? I am hopefully going back to pick up a mate tomorrow for my female.

Eklikewhoa · May 27, 2008

cee said:
I cut legs off my star to feed my Harley. The star stays in the sump and can last 1/2 a year by using this method. Way back in the '80s I used to freeze stars for feeding Harleys. You know when they're hungry because they start wandering around the tank a lot searching.

Dave

I was wondering cee....

I got a few chocolate chip stars in the fuge for the same as you are referring and today was actually the first day I cut one of the legs off for them. The star was really hard to cut but after I finally got it cut there was a slight hollow in the middle....is it suppose to be like that?

aquaman3680 · May 27, 2008

I had to buy a pair of harlequin shrimp to take them out. They killed several of my zoanthid and paly colonies. They were the only link of the ones that died. There are hundreds of different species of these stars, and only a couple are bad.

Matt