How to control small serpent stars??

[Chris Harbaugh]

I have a 125g with a 55g refugium and I have a population explosion of small serpent starfish that I placed in my refugium a year ago. These are extremely small serpent starfish, with the largest being no larger than my thumb nail. I bought these as a natural cleaner pack to help eat detritus and such but now they are everywhere. I have no other concerns except they keep getting on my Crocea Clam and are stressing it out. I also have a Blue Squamosa that they never touch. Not once have I ever seen these starfish on it. I have had both clams for over 6 months... I did buy a Four Line Wrasse but he apparently is not Interested in serpent stars.. is there another wrasse out there that will eat them?? I am considering buying a Melanurous Wrasse on the advice of my LFS but I can read no literature saying they may/May not eat these small brittle stars.. any advice will be greatly appreciated..

 

[Chris Harbaugh]

Further info on these starfish. They are white in color except after feeding and the small main body will have a grey color while the legs stay white.

 

[spiraling]

are they small brittle stars or astrina stars? I've never had a problem with the brittle stars (6 long skinny legs, tiny round body). Some astrina can bother corals (fatter some have 4 or 5 legs).
If you take them out anytime you see them you can make a dent in the numbers. Maybe someone else knows a fish that will feast on them.

 

[Scurvy]

Harlequin shrimp might crush em.

 

[Chris Harbaugh]

They are brittle stars.. I have never had a problem with Asterina's. I placed these in myself.

 

[madweazl]

I'd be more concerned that there is an issue with the clam vs the issue being the stars. I have hundreds (if not thousands) in my 75g and they aren't messing with anything healthy. Not to say the cant/wont, just something to keep an eye on.

 

[Chris Harbaugh]

I'm concerned about that also. My four line wrasse started nipping at it and I placed a clear plastic container around him after cutting the top off to keep the wrasse away but now I have these serpent stars to deal with.

 

[Mike N]

Brittles and serpents aren't the same. Which ones do you have?

 

[webbl19]

Is it these guys? I got a bunch in my refugium also. They havent made it to my DT though. At least not that i know of.

 

[ThunderGoose]

You can send em to me

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have never heard of them being a concern.

 

[Chris Harbaugh]

Is it these guys? I got a bunch in my refugium also. They havent made it to my DT though. At least not that i know of.

Yes. That's what I have

 

[Eric23]

+1 I'd buy them from you

 

[vlangel]

I like madweazl would be worried that maybe the crocea is sick. My tanks are always over run with them and I had a crocea for about 3 years and they never got on it.

 

[Eric23]

If anyone is willing to bag up a few and send them out I'll pay

 

[Chris Harbaugh]

I can try and collect a couple dozen if you want them.. I'll have to send them out along with some cheato.. them cover my stuff in my refugium

 

[Eric23]

Yeah that would be awesome

 

[Chris Harbaugh]

I think maybe I will make a hanger from my lights so they can't get at the clam.. sounds like it's more of a problem with my wrasse stressing it out and maybe I caught it too late... I hope not.. I really don't now if a stressed clam will come back if he is so far gone that scavengers are on him.. you couldn't tell by looking at him now. He seems happy since I placed that plastic Container around him to keep the wrasse away, except about a hour before lights out, then he closes up, thats when i saw all the brittle stars on him.. dang shame, its a beautiful clam but ill try that tonight an see how that goes

 

[Chris Harbaugh]

Yeah that would be awesome

Ill collect some to ight and mssg ya back about 9 pm central time with how many i caught

 

[Tahoe61]

Ophiuroidea or close, not serpent star. Available food dictates population size, typically they are not problematic and I would be surprised if they were the primary cause of the clams stress, but they might be attracted to a clams that is dying,