Is this a little starfish?

[Miemaes]

I noticed this hanging at the bottom of my filter and was wondering if this is the beginning of a small starfish? Is it good…bad… I have a 6 gallon with corals. Must have hitchhiked on one of the corals I last purchased. Thanks in advance!

 

[bluemon]

Yup. Asterina starfish.

Very common and prolific.

I personally like them as CUC but some people dont

 

[paragrouper]

Looks like an asterina starfish.

 

[Rmckoy]

Many don’t like them and claim they can eat corals .
Others like myself leave them alone and think they’re good to have .

 

[CasperOe]

I like these guys in my tank for controlling algae and removing detritus. I do believe that they help improving water quality somewhat (.. can't verify that, but I remember reading it somewhere! )

 

[Miemaes]

Yup. Asterina starfish.

Very common and prolific.

I personally like them as CUC

Do they damage coral?

 

[Miemaes]

Many don’t like them and claim they can eat corals .
Others like myself leave them alone and think they’re good to have .

I got excited cause I thought it would be cool to have a mini starfish in my tank But then I was like hmmm… maybe too good to be true and it’s a pest.

 

[CasperOe]

Do they damage coral?

Asterina starfish don't harm coral. They eat algae, not live coral. In some cases, if their numbers increase, they might graze on beneficial algae (coralline)

 

[Sleeping Giant]

not really a pest. I keep them and remove some if they get to be too much

 

[Miemaes]

Asterina starfish don't harm coral. They eat algae, not live coral. In some cases, if their numbers increase, they might graze on beneficial algae (coralline)

Thanks for the info. I’m going to let this little fella be and maybe remove some if the numbers become too many.

 

[Miemaes]

not really a pest. I keep them and remove some if they get to be too much

I’ll probably do the same Thx for sharing

 

[Timfish]

Actually it's a beneficial Aquilonastra species, Asterina species don't reproduce by splitting. See my post in this thread.

Good or bad?

I found one of these in my tank when the lights went out crawling on a rock. Anyone know what this is and if it’s good or bad?

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Miemaes]

Actually it's a beneficial Aquilonastra species, Asterina species don't reproduce by splitting. See my post in this thread.

Good or bad?

I found one of these in my tank when the lights went out crawling on a rock. Anyone know what this is and if it’s good or bad?

www.reef2reef.com

So cool! Thank you for sharing the link and helping me to identify this starfish

 

[Rmckoy]

Do they damage coral?

I say no ..
@vetteguy53081 might say different

 

[paragrouper]

Do they damage coral?

Some say they do. I’ve found a couple in my tank and left them, as they were busy eating algae.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I noticed this hanging at the bottom of my filter and was wondering if this is the beginning of a small starfish? Is it good…bad… I have a 6 gallon with corals. Must have hitchhiked on one of the corals I last purchased. Thanks in advance!

Agree with others and I hate these things. In the past and a few months ago, they got to my zoa colonies and get into overflows, pumps, plumbing - everywhere. They break off a leg or two which reproduces into a new asterina. They break off a leg and so forth and soon appear in large numbers.
This was the month of July:

 

[Miemaes]

Agree with others and I hate these things. In the past and a few months ago, they got to my zoa colonies and get into overflows, pumps, plumbing - everywhere. They break off a leg or two which reproduces into a new asterina. They break off a leg and so forth and soon appear in large numbers.
This was the month of July:

They eat away at your zoas? My tank is small so I’m sure I’ll be able to pick them off easily if they do become a hassle. That is quite the collections you picked off. I’m guessing they multiply fast?

 

[Heart of Dixie]

They went thru some of my Zoa’s as well,

 

[Miemaes]

They went thru some of my Zoa’s as well,

I better keep a close eye on it. Or better said my husband as I’ll be out for three weeks . I’m already stressed out about how my tanks will look on my return.

 

[vetteguy53081]

They eat away at your zoas? My tank is small so I’m sure I’ll be able to pick them off easily if they do become a hassle. That is quite the collections you picked off. I’m guessing they multiply fast?

Multiply quickly and often blend with coral and rock. This is the most recent colony they started to destroy:

Before:

After ( I picked them off this colony) :