Asterina Starfish

[jtvaughn]

Any ideas on how to get rid of these things? They seem to destroy my zoa colonies and gsp!

 

[Zakery Murray]

What size tank, and how many? If you have alot of them and are looking to add something unique to your tank I would suggest harlequin shrimp.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I have a pair of stainless steel forceps that I use to remove them. You should see my pile of dead starfish corpses...it's quite impressive!

If you check daily and remove as many as you can, you will turn the tide in a couple of months.

 

[Duffer]

Harlequin shrimp..awesome little guy. Had the same problem and he does a great job

 

[Angel53]

Harlequin shrimp. Works for me. As soon as you put it in the tank they come out and start climbing up the sides of your tank. An amazing side.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

A harlequin shrimp is the route we took to get rid of our asterina starfish. We had the same issue with them eating our zoas and palys. Once the asterina starfish population has dwindled down you will need to either re home the harlequin or feed him. We ended up liking ours so decided to feed him chocolate chip starfish once a week.

 

[Engloid]

I have a pair of stainless steel forceps that I use to remove them. You should see my pile of dead starfish corpses...it's quite impressive!

If you check daily and remove as many as you can, you will turn the tide in a couple of months.

I do the same. I have a pair of tweezers that are about 20" long. Many will say the astria stars are harmless...but once you see it atop of a zoa, wrapping arms around the enclosed polyup….which never again opens up, you know they will eat zoas. I don't panic over them, but I do pull them out when I can.

 

[Engloid]

A harlequin shrimp is the route we took to get rid of our asterina starfish. We had the same issue with them eating our zoas and palys. Once the asterina starfish population has dwindled down you will need to either re home the harlequin or feed him. We ended up liking ours so decided to feed him chocolate chip starfish once a week.

Seems like a lot for it to eat in one week. or are you finding really small starfish?

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I do the same. I have a pair of tweezers that are about 20" long. Many will say the astria stars are harmless...but once you see it atop of a zoa, wrapping arms around the enclosed polyup….which never again opens up, you know they will eat zoas. I don't panic over them, but I do pull them out when I can.

I think they eat Seriatopora birdsnest as well.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

Seems like a lot for it to eat in one week. or are you finding really small starfish?

Our harlequin was a decent size. We would buy the starfish at about 3 to 5" and a week or less it was devoured.

 

[killr66tb]

So I have these little starfish, my tank has been up a very long time and I have a lot of them but they don't seem to touch my bird nests are my zoa but I can't get a Harlequin shrimp because I do have a Blue jaw trigger I think the trigger will eat the shrimp. Ant thoughts?