Possible that Asterina Starfish eating healthy SPS

[-Logzor]

Is this possible? I'm trying to narrow down my STN issues and I'm down to only a few causes. One is Asterina Starfish, which are munching on the SPS but I suspect they're just eating dying tissue.

What will eat them? I kind of want them gone regardless. Even if they're not eating the SPS they're irritating the heck out of the existing healthy tissue.

Edit: In the ReefKeeping Magazine article it states potentially 5% of them will eat corals. May be an opportunistic type situation if other food sources are not available.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/45-reefkeeping-101-

I guess I have my answer, Maybe.

 

[watchguy123]

Harlequin shrimp but it will also eat ornamental starfish like serpent or others so if you have any of those beware.

 

[-Logzor]

I don't have any of those so that shrimp might be fine. I also might just pick them out by hand, they're tons of them.

 

[Pkunk35]

Harlequins are really good at eliminating asterinas. Just be aware that they will require feeding after the asterinas aren't visible anymore because they will be almost 100% gone. They won't eat brittle stars for sure and I don't think they eat serpent stars but not sure.

I really like mine and he eliminated a bad asterina problem in about 8 weeks: