Starfish identity

[lukkereynolds]

Didn’t but this little guy he just showed up does he need to be removed?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Asterina starfish (technically Aquilonastra, but known in the hobby as Asterina). Personally, I like them, but they do reproduce quickly (very quickly), and some people believe they eat corals (see my quotes below).

ISpeakForTheSeas said:
With regards to whether or not they eat corals, it might be a species specific thing, it might be a you have way too many starfish so they're out of other food options thing, or it might be they're eating the slime coat/mucus on the coral rather than the coral itself (see below).

The quote I referred to in my quote above:

Timfish said:
It's an Aquilonastra spp. starfish and is a great scavenger. I see them with anywhere from 4 to 12 legs. The whole discusion around them seems to me excellent examples of misidentification, mistaken behaviour and assumed causality based just on heresay without looking at the research. Asterina spp starfish are preditary but only reproduce sexually and are shortlived so while it's possible some might get into a tank even if it did happen it's not going to be around long. Aquilonastra are one of the uncommon species that reproduce fissiparous or by splitting so are easy to identify by the different sized legs regrown after splitting. They perform an important function not only feeding off algae films but also feeding off microbial films including those on corals (at least ones that don't sting). FYI the mucus coating on corals ages and corals have to periodicely shed it to renew it and maintian healthy microbial processes (Ref 1, Ref 2). If Aquilonastra are feeding on zoas or softies I'll argue they are either benign or even beneficial as they may be reducing the unhealthy older mucus which can be full of unhealthy microbes which the animal is trying to get rid of and are far more likely to be the actual problem.

Here's an example, this Toadstool is doing one of it's periodic sheddings. The Aquilonastra have been in this system for years but only climb onto the Toadstool when it's shedding. In the first picture you can see the old mucus film, Aquilonastra starfish and areas they have cleaned off. The second picture shows the Toadstool a week later.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Asterina starfish (technically Aquilonastra, but known in the hobby as Asterina). Personally, I like them, but they do reproduce quickly (very quickly), and some people believe they eat corals (see my quotes below).

The quote I referred to in my quote above:

Better pictures would help so others can identify, especially close ups.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Better pictures would help so others can identify, especially close ups.

Fair, but you'll have to take it up with Timfish since they're his photos and I don't have tank to keep the stars/corals in yet, haha.

Edit: just to add, these are the only photos of this sort of thing that I'm aware with a before and after - most people just see these guys crawling on their zoas and assume the zoas are being eaten (which they may or may not be - as mentioned in my post).

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Fair, but you'll have to take it up with Timfish since they're his photos and I don't have tank to keep the stars/corals in yet, haha.

Edit: just to add, these are the only photos of this sort of thing that I'm aware with a before and after - most people just see these guys crawling on their zoas and assume the zoas are being eaten (which they may or may not be - as mentioned in my post).

I appreciate all info provided, obviously OP/ tim fish has a problem,from your response and information provided, this is very valuable to me, tim fish will be provided with help, along with me being provided help

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Better pictures would help identifying