Red hornet help

[rng_pw]

Ok so I have a quick question. I have two polyps of red hornets and they seem to open up and do ok but for some reason my asterina star fish are always all over them. I'm pretty sure that they are doing damage because I used to have a baby polyp and it is gone now. Why are the aterinas all over them and what can I do to help them out? Thanks in advance.

Ricky,

 

[GrouperGenius]

Asterina stars are a debate. Personally, I don't like them and my zoas are happier with them all gone. Harlequin shrimps are worth their weight.

 

[I-K@ndY]

Harlequin Shrimp will take care of those...

 

[rng_pw]

How many Harlequins can I have? I already have a pair but they cant seem to keep up with the starfish. I have a 450 gallon tank with a ton of live rock and even more on the way.

Ricky,

 

[swannyson7]

+1 on the harlequin

 

[GrouperGenius]

How many Harlequins can I have? I already have a pair but they cant seem to keep up with the starfish. I have a 450 gallon tank with a ton of live rock and even more on the way.

Ricky,

Sounds like you have plenty of room for more. I had 3 in my 225 tank. And that was with 2 CBB, 2 Cleaner, and 1 Blood. Just try to keep an eye on the star population and when it's getting pretty low, take out a couple shrimp and pass them on to fellow reefers in the area with the same problem.

Hope this helps.

 

[rng_pw]

ok thanks, How should I put them in? One mail and a few females or should I put them in in pairs?

 

[sexycorals]

i would put them on a frag rack so no astrina as get on them at the moment so they can recover if indeed they are botherin them.. and of course +1 to everyone about getting a Harlequin. I had a 120 that had a good amount and 2 shrimps took care of them quick in 3-4 weeks

 

[IamRit]

Asterina stars will attack sick and dying zoa. They will not bother the healthy zoa. Maybe there is chemical change in the zoa when they are dying that attract and enable the Asterina to attack it. The baby polyp maybe dying that's why your asterina was all over it.
To me, you asterina is doing you a favor, it's cleaning up the dying part so the disease does not spread to your other polyps.
Keep in mind, I wouldn't depend on the Asterina to do the work for you. Clean up any dying part or sick polyps before it spread all over the colony.

 

[thecoralvault]

+1 harlequin. We put 2 in our 120 and the demolished about 1000 of those in about 1 month.

 

[rng_pw]

the polyps have been open and doing well so im not sure what the problem is.

Ricky,

 

[pcfish]

+1 harlequin have one in my 30 gallon nano all that was over run with astrinas took him about a month to clean up the tank. The only bad thing is now I have to feed him.

 

[swivel]

maybe a fish is nipping at the zoa?