Asterina starfish in the Sin Bin.

[jabberwock]

Wow, tank has been running in some way shape or form since the first week of September 2022. I have not added anything to this tank in quite a while (maybe 2 months), and it was just some macro algae I trimmed out of my display tank. I did take a small piece of rubble out of the back chamber and put it out front a few days ago, and low and behold, I have found my first Asterina starfish. This is the "Sin Bin" which is the name for my unwanted hitchhiker and macro algae grow out tank, so I will leave the starfish and see what happens.

 

[1epauletteshark]

Wow that is actually a very cool idea having a tank dedicated to unwanted visitors what else have you colected?

 

[jabberwock]

6 or 7 whelks
1 Gorilla crab - dispatched
1 Red mithrax crab
2 decorator crabs - died in the sin bin

Good hitchhikers left in display tank
3 lightbulb anemones
6 limpets
5 porcelain crabs
1 purple spine urchin
2 tunicate colonies (limpets ate 1)
1 bristle star
about 1000 micro bristle stars
various sponges

 

[1epauletteshark]

6 or 7 whelks
1 Gorilla crab - dispatched
1 Red mithrax crab
2 decorator crabs - died in the sin bin

Good hitchhikers left in display tank
3 lightbulb anemones
6 limpets
5 porcelain crabs
1 purple spine urchin
2 tunicate colonies (limpets ate 1)
1 bristle star
about 1000 micro bristle stars
various sponges

Now when you say dispatched... you mean "removed" i had an issue where i found 2 baby gorilla crabs in my tank today and moved them to a small container, the only hitchhikers i have had so far are a bristle worm (unalived itself) an unidentified filter feeder crab and two baby gorilla crabs (put in a small container)

 

[jabberwock]

Now when you say dispatched... you mean "removed" i had an issue where i found 2 baby gorilla crabs in my tank today and moved them to a small container, the only hitchhikers i have had so far are a bristle worm (unalived itself) an unidentified filter feeder crab and two baby gorilla crabs (put in a small container)

By dispatched I mean quickly and humanely euthanized. Filter feeder crab is good (porcelain crab). I would put it back in before the gorillas kill it.

 

[1epauletteshark]

By dispatched I mean quickly and humanely euthanized. Filter feeder crab is good (porcelain crab). I would put it back in before the gorillas kill it.

Yeah even when removing it i made sure to put it in a different glass and i have already put him back but he did lose a claw in the process of coming out of the live rock

 

[jabberwock]

Yeah even when removing it i made sure to put it in a different glass and i have already put him back but he did lose a claw in the process of coming out of the live rock

The claw will grow back. They only use the claws for defense. They feed themselves with the specialized mouth parts. You may at some point find a "molt". This is when the shed their skin. Leave it in the tank, sometimes they eat the molt to replace minerals they lose when the molt.

 

[1epauletteshark]

The claw will grow back. They only use the claws for defense. They feed themselves with the specialized mouth parts. You may at some point find a "molt". This is when the shed their skin. Leave it in the tank, sometimes they eat the molt to replace minerals they lose when the molt.

Oh thanks i learnt something new i though you should take it out

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I have one that showed up in my 10g (asterina) a couple months ago. I see it now and again and it is getting bigger, still no bigger than an Asterina currently. I am starting to have my doubts because the legs are perfect starfish 5, so it has not split at all yet. We will see what happens.

 

[Lavey29]

6 or 7 whelks
1 Gorilla crab - dispatched
1 Red mithrax crab
2 decorator crabs - died in the sin bin

Good hitchhikers left in display tank
3 lightbulb anemones
6 limpets
5 porcelain crabs
1 purple spine urchin
2 tunicate colonies (limpets ate 1)
1 bristle star
about 1000 micro bristle stars
various sponges

All of these creatures were hitchhikers? Must have been live ocean rock to start?

 

[jabberwock]

All of these creatures were hitchhikers? Must have been live ocean rock to start?

Yes indeed. I really love my Tampa Bay Saltwater live rocks!

 

[Lavey29]

Yes indeed. I really love my Tampa Bay Saltwater live rocks!

Do you put live rocks in an observation tank or bucket first to identify and remove unwanted hitchhikers?

 

[bushdoc]

I have few majanos in my 29 gal "Penal Colony". Anyone wants some?
They share room with few hermits, who misbehaved and raged wars in my main DT.

 

[jabberwock]

Do you put live rocks in an observation tank or bucket first to identify and remove unwanted hitchhikers?

Yes, I ran about 10 days of observation and then a single firefish goby for another month with no sand. Took 2 or 3 weeks to catch the gorilla crab. Had to find the right shape trap.