How to get rid of Asterina Starfish

[merlberg]

I’ve read that I can get a shrimp (Forgot the name of the shrimp) but I also have a blue starfish in my tank that I’m afraid will get killed by the shrimp as well.

My tank is 120 gal. and it’s long so I am unable to pull anything out or I would if just pulled out my blue starfish n put it in my sump for now.

So are there any fish I can buy to eat these starfish? If not do I have any other options to get rid of them?

They are all over now and I’m going away soon and afraid of them killing my corals :/.

Please help!

 

[Phil D.]

There are 2 types of Asterina. If they are on the glass or back wall, they eat algae. If they are on corals, yes, they are the bad ones. The shrimp you are thinking of is the Harlequin. So, put your Linkia into your sump while the shrimp does it's job.

 

[Phildago]

Harlequin. It's a worthy trade. I'm waiting until i have way too many (starfish) to keep a stable population before i add one though

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I've been at it for a while, but I've decimated them with a pair of forceps and patience. I just pull them out whenever I see them, and vacuum up stragglers when I clean the sump. I've pulled out over 400 of them during the last 6-8 months, and now I can go days without seeing one.

I think you could control them with a little elbow grease and without adding additional inhabitants to the tank.

 

[DSC reef]

IME, just because they are on the glass doesn't mean they dont eat corals. Realistically there is no way to distinguish good from the bad and by the time you realize you have coral eaters the population has exploded. Manual removal works well, an hour before the lights come on usually made it easier as they are out all over the tank. A harlequin shrimp will put in quick work and will eat other starfish. Once the asterina are gone you will have to rehome the shrimp or feed it if you want to keep it. We liked or harlequin shrimp so decided to feed it chocolate chip starfish.

 

[andrewkw]

Here are some I've pulled out by hand.

I used to be a big supporter of these guys. They do a great job keeping coraline in check. However 100% some eat my zoas and palys and it's impossible to tell by looking at them which are doing it.

 

[sde1500]

I think they all eat coral. I have always had some in my tank, never had issues with them eating zoas that I noticed. Until I started noticing the population really exploding. I had hundreds. Then I saw them start eating zoas. I think it was a food problem, there was too much competition for what they were eating, so some switched to corals. I started removing by hand. Hundreds gone so far, barely any left and I still remove ones that I see. No fish can do it, best means is just manual removal.

 

[jayala12]

There are two types of asterina starfish. Alive and dead. Get them out ASAP. They have a thing for high end zoas it seems. I bought a harlequin shrimp and she sent them back to hades. Then I returned her and my zoas r thriving like never before. Just my experience with them

 

[andrewkw]

I think they all eat coral. I have always had some in my tank, never had issues with them eating zoas that I noticed. Until I started noticing the population really exploding. I had hundreds. Then I saw them start eating zoas. I think it was a food problem, there was too much competition for what they were eating, so some switched to corals. I started removing by hand. Hundreds gone so far, barely any left and I still remove ones that I see. No fish can do it, best means is just manual removal.

They all don't. I have seriously removed thousands and I lost dozens maybe 100s of polyps (over years). I believe what happens is they develop a taste for coral. It's not species but rather individual dependent. There is always going to be people who say they don't have problems with them. I was one of them, and it's true you may not have any that eat coral at any particular time, but once they start going on the corals who knows what's going to happen.

 

[merlberg]

Ok so should if I get the shrimp should I risk losing my blue starfish? My tank is too deep for me to reach for it. Is there any chance it will survive when i out the shrimp in?

 

[Duffer]

had some in my tank, and i mean lots of them. Bought a harlequin shrimp and within a few months he took care of ever single one of them.

 

[DanConnor]

Ok so should if I get the shrimp should I risk losing my blue starfish? My tank is too deep for me to reach for it. Is there any chance it will survive when i out the shrimp in?

No, and the shrimp will probably eat your starfish first. You can't get a pair of forceps or something?

One thing to consider is what you are going to do with the shrimp after they eat your asterina, which will happen very fast. Back in the 90s I had a pair I used to feed one chocolate chip starfish a month; that's about how much they need.

 

[NanoDJS]

They will decimate the asterina pop almost instantly , then they will work together to try and flip your linka and eat maybe one leg per 2 weeks , it will grow back and bam , they cant even eat a choc chip star whole , it will ensure that they live in your system and can get any newly introduced asterinas . oh btw they are the devil those lil stars

 

[sde1500]

They all don't. I have seriously removed thousands and I lost dozens maybe 100s of polyps (over years). I believe what happens is they develop a taste for coral. It's not species but rather individual dependent. There is always going to be people who say they don't have problems with them. I was one of them, and it's true you may not have any that eat coral at any particular time, but once they start going on the corals who knows what's going to happen.

Right, that's what I was saying. I don't believe it is a certain group of astrinea that eat coral. They all have the potential to do so. They just may or may not.

Ok so should if I get the shrimp should I risk losing my blue starfish? My tank is too deep for me to reach for it. Is there any chance it will survive when i out the shrimp in?

You add that shrimp your starfish is dead, without question.

 

[Katrina71]

Just pick them out by hand. Not a big deal.

 

[tmynice]

I was infested with them. I have a 300 gal, with 150 refuge in the basement. I battled them hand to hand for months could never keep up. I would pay my daughter two pennies for everyone she removed...... hundreds at a time thousands in total. Also, I had a terrible time keeping zoa's They never seemed to thrive. 2 harlequin shrimp, and two months later can't find one. Zoa's thriving. I want to fully irradiate them so I can add a Linckia.

 

[Malifry97]

why not get a pair of forceps, some of those coral life gloves and a ladder and get the blue one out. then add the shrimp.

 

[merlberg]

Just pick them out by hand. Not a big deal.

I’ve been doing that and guess I’ll just continue to do that then. But since my tank is long certain areas I’m unable to reach but at this point i’ll just keep picking them out. Thanks

 

[Malifry97]

I’ve been doing that and guess I’ll just continue to do that then. But since my tank is long certain areas I’m unable to reach but at this point i’ll just keep picking them out. Thanks

Check these out

 

[DibsOnMcRibs]

Why don’t you get the harlequin and but the other starfish in a mushroom box?