Astrea Star Probs....

[luke33]

So i've had this current reef tank set up for over 4yrs now and here recently i've noticed something i never have in the past. With the whole named coral thing going on i've kept my eye on some of my corals a little closer. One thing i've always wondered about is why some of my poly's/zoa's would grow super fast where as some would grow very slow. Well come to find out i have a nice population of astrea stars that like to eat my nice zoa/polyps but leave some alone. The star literally gets on top and sucks the guts out of the zoa, then moves on. Anyone else seeing this? Also what is the best method to erraticate these stars? I know the harl shrimp but are there any fish that will eat these guys?

 

[MikeB]

Harlequin Shrimp

 

[650-IS350]

Manual removal/picking and if you really have tons of them, then use a Harlequin Shrimp like Mike said.

 

[dakotasreef]

I would think that some wrasse should eat them. I know I have seen lunars eat them, but that is as they are dropped into the tank.

 

[luke33]

Yea, thats what i was afraid of. I've been picking at them here lately and thinking of getting a harl shrimp. Problem is most come out at night so i can't get em all.

 

[650-IS350]

Harq's should spend most of their time hunting them down even poking through crevices where these guys hide at times

 

[Breakin Newz]

Get a Harliquin asap!!

 

[eswebster]

I just bought a 12" tweesers and have been pulling them... if you stay on it the population should get to be pretty scarce.

 

[luke33]

Yea, sounds like i'll just keep picking htem out and may add a harliquin shrimp soon. Just have to locate one.

 

[Bigevill1]

Harlequin Shrimp took care of it for me.

 

[_Alex_]

I noticed a few in my tank 2 months ago, got a yellow corris wrasse a few weeks ago and havent seen any since. But couldn't tell you for sure if wrasse is eating them or not.

 

[agent462]

Harlequin Shrimp

+1

I had some that were eating all my coralline and I put the little guy in and after a few weeks I didn't see any. Since they only eat stars you can buy him stars to eat or just pass him on to a fellow reefer who needs him (that's what I did).

 

[luke33]

Man if i could get them to eat some of my coralline it would be a tradeoff. Unfortunately they seem to only like the zoa's, not the cheap one's though, just the expensive one's. Reminds me of the aptasia eating filefish : ()

 

[agent462]

I had a Zoa eating filefish once, he lives on somewhere else