Star fish??

[tp686kydup]

Ill post pics soon but at night small star fish plaster my tank. I pick them regularly so they are kinda in control but they must bread daily!! What are these little pain in the @#$%, and is there something that eats them? Or am I doomed with picking starfish my whole life.

 

[shornik]

Most likely they are asternia, I have them too and they are a pain. Some say they are OK, but I've seen them on my SPS and Zoa's so I pick them out. I've been doing it for a long time and they keep coming. Getting a (some?) Harlequin shrimp can help. I haven't been able to do that because I also have a serpent star that I don't want to get eaten, so I'm stuck with picking them out. I have a nice pile of bleached star fish out on my patio :mad:

 

[Salt Creep]

Astrea starfish. A harlequin shrimp would eat them, but they are generally harmless and not sure you want to add that shrimp.

 

[tp686kydup]

Gotcha. I have two sand sifter starfish. Probably not best to have them with a harlequin?

 

[tp686kydup]

They do affect my corals as well. UN needed stress to them as I see it

 

[Baby Ray]

Gotcha. I have two sand sifter starfish. Probably not best to have them with a harlequin?

Harlepuin shrimp would eat your sand sifter stars. If you have a sump you could keep on star in your sump and the other in your DT. Then after about a week you could alternate them to let the legs grow back.

 

[tp686kydup]

Sounds safer to just keep picking? Does the harlequin interfere with anything else? Other shrimp, clean crew?

 

[Baby Ray]

Sounds safer to just keep picking? Does the harlequin interfere with anything else? Other shrimp, clean crew?

Not sure if this is true but I have heard of some eating sea urchins (if you have one)
Harlequins are very pretty and unique but you have to keep them well fed. They can go a while without food though