Asterina starfish eating zoas!

[saltyfilmfolks]

If that "few zoa polyps" that get eaten are $200 dollar polyps "now and then," then you would understand.

Furthermore, my beef is that instead of a "healthy debate", 915mang gets called a new reefer. Disparaging, belittling and putting down another reefer in order to try to discredit them or prove your own point pizzes me off. And I'm standing up for 915mang.

Personally , I said nothing of the sort. But if you look at the video objectively, his corraline in the back is messed up and not healthy , he’s got Dino’s and few other nasties all over the frag rack , and a dead acro coral with a star not eating live flesh.
He did get amazing tank video.
I don’t belive the Star in his case is the issue is all.
DSC saw them eat his zoas. I’m sure it happens. The oddity in question is why. That should be the question , rather than the debate.
Is there somthing that spurs them to eat the zoas?
As were prettt sure not all of them do.
Same for some of the iso and amphi pod reports of them eating zoas.
The pics I saw ID them as common amphipods.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I see both sides to it but getting worked up is not worth it. I disagree with easy removal. They can be very tiny and hide in the smallest of places. When someone is told that there all harmless and then the population explodes and expensive zoas are being eaten then I can see the frustration, I've been there. I always give advice to proceed with caution because it's nearly impossible to tell the bad ones from the good ones.

Yea. I hate em. Pretty sure they decimate other micro fauna populations

 

[rosshamsandwich]

I have seen only one video wit concrete proof. And oddly , the star shared the exact same color patterns as stars I have. I’ve never really refuted it happens , but it’s odd that it doesn’t all the time.
I point to the file fish I got for aptasia once. Immediately started killing my shrimps and then started on the fish and the roughe crab that ate a female Mandy. It doesn’t happen to everyone.

The video that you mention "I have seen only one video wit concrete proof. And oddly , the star shared the exact same color patterns as stars I have. I" Please link that video. Thank you very much. Much appreciated.

 

[rosshamsandwich]

Personally , I said nothing of the sort. But if you look at the video objectively, his corraline in the back is messed up and not healthy , he’s got Dino’s and few other nasties all over the frag rack , and a dead acro coral with a star not eating live flesh.
He did get amazing tank video.
I don’t belive the Star in his case is the issue is all.
DSC saw them eat his zoas. I’m sure it happens. The oddity in question is why. That should be the question , rather than the debate.
Is there somthing that spurs them to eat the zoas?
As were prettt sure not all of them do.
Same for some of the iso and amphi pod reports of them eating zoas.
The pics I saw ID them as common amphipods.

At the risk of having my iPhone 4-taking, sumpless, crushed coral substrate, hang-on-back skimmer, heater-in-display tank verbally ripped apart piece by piece, here's my tank. Asterina starfish are terminated with EXTREME PREJUDICE in this tank. ***It's morning here, and the corals are just starting to wake up.***

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

At the risk of having my iPhone 4-taking, sumpless, crushed coral substrate, hang-on-back skimmer, heater-in-display tank verbally ripped apart piece by piece, here's my tank. Asterina starfish are terminated with EXTREME PREJUDICE in this tank. ***It's morning here, and the corals are just starting to wake up.***

Sounds like my tanks.

 

[XNavyDiver]

At the risk of having my iPhone 4-taking, sumpless, crushed coral substrate, hang-on-back skimmer, heater-in-display tank verbally ripped apart piece by piece, here's my tank. Asterina starfish are terminated with EXTREME PREJUDICE in this tank. ***It's morning here, and the corals are just starting to wake up.***

Are you sure you're not confusing this site with another reef sight? I've never seen anyone rip apart somebodies tank here. Yours looks great!

 

[rosshamsandwich]

Are you sure you're not confusing this site with another reef sight? I've never seen anyone rip apart somebodies tank here. You're looks great!

 

[Triggreef]

At the risk of having my iPhone 4-taking, sumpless, crushed coral substrate, hang-on-back skimmer, heater-in-display tank verbally ripped apart piece by piece, here's my tank. Asterina starfish are terminated with EXTREME PREJUDICE in this tank. ***It's morning here, and the corals are just starting to wake up.***

Nothing wrong with that! All you need to keep coral alive is a heater, pump, and light source. And I didn't mean anything derogatory to the maker of that video, simply pointed out he seemed like a newer reefer (which to me would also mean possibly less than stable parameters). Nothing derogatory at all.

I also stand up for emerald crabs which get much more criticism for their behaviors, and rightly so.

IMO for there to be concrete evidence, one of these stars would have to sit on a (known healthy and open) zoa, and leave it with a dead zoa. But I've never seen it although they are always sitting at the bases of my zoas, stars leave and zoas still open and healthy.

Don't get me wrong I am no fan of asterina stars. I'm just not worried about them.

Nice collection of corals!!

 

[rosshamsandwich]

Nothing wrong with that! All you need to keep coral alive is a heater, pump, and light source. And I didn't mean anything derogatory to the maker of that video, simply pointed out he seemed like a newer reefer (which to me would also mean possibly less than stable parameters). Nothing derogatory at all.

I also stand up for emerald crabs which get much more criticism for their behaviors, and rightly so.

IMO for there to be concrete evidence, one of these stars would have to sit on a (known healthy and open) zoa, and leave it with a dead zoa. But I've never seen it although they are always sitting at the bases of my zoas, stars leave and zoas still open and healthy.

Don't get me wrong I am no fan of asterina stars. I'm just not worried about them.

Nice collection of corals!!

Appreciate it. Happy Reefing.

 

[rkpetersen]

I disagree with easy removal. They can be very tiny and hide in the smallest of places.

I guess I'm thinking more about control than eradication. They're big enough to grasp with a forceps, and not firmly attached to whatever they're on. If you inspect your tank every day and remove any that you see, starting when there are just a few, I think your chances of experiencing an explosion are minimal. Although this certainly gets trickier as your corals grow and block easy access to the rocks. If I really felt I needed to eradicate them completely, I'd temporarily isolate all my other stars and then add a pair of Harlequin shrimp. Asterinas don't give me anxiety. So far.

 

[DSC reef]

I guess I'm thinking more about control than eradication. They're big enough to grasp with a forceps, and not firmly attached to whatever they're on. If you inspect your tank every day and remove any that you see, starting when there are just a few, I think your chances of experiencing an explosion are minimal. Although this certainly gets trickier as your corals grow and block easy access to the rocks. If I really felt I needed to eradicate them completely, I'd temporarily isolate all my other stars and then add a pair of Harlequin shrimp. Asterinas don't give me anxiety. So far.

Harlequin has been added, lol. That is the coolest shrimp we've owned and he hangs out in the utter choas

 

[rosshamsandwich]

Asterinas don't give me anxiety. So far.

I remember saying that 2 years ago...

 

[rosshamsandwich]

Harlequin has been added, lol. That is the coolest shrimp we've owned and he hangs out in the utter choas

Just curious, what's the going price for a Harlequin Shrimp

 

[Paul B]

I probably have 100 stars just on my glass now and hundreds if not thousands on my rock. They just exploded a few weeks ago. They don't bother me but I threw in a Harlequin just to get rid of some of them so I could see through the glass.

 

[rosshamsandwich]

I probably have 100 stars just on my glass now and hundreds if not thousands on my rock. They just exploded a few weeks ago. They don't bother me but I threw in a Harlequin just to get rid of some of them so I could see through the glass.

How much did you pay for him?

 

[DSC reef]

Just curious, what's the going price for a Harlequin Shrimp

30 dollars for a blue one. Very cool looking.

 

[rkpetersen]

If you can track down a bonded pair, it costs more but I understand that they will work together quite brilliantly to absolutely annihilate any starfish population. I want to have this in my next aquarium, even if it means no permanent decorative sea stars.

 

[Paul B]

It was about $23.00. But he has one claw, one side he is bowleged and the other side is knock kneed. I think he is cross eyed, has a social disease. and is allergic to starfish

 

[rkpetersen]

There's one that just appeared on Diver's Den for $35. A large female.

 

[spacetime]

I have too many of them and too many zoas. I think the zoo deaths are from another issue.