Starfish?

[jmt1030]

Hey everyone,

I woke up this morning to this on my glass. Look like a starfish but just wondering if it's a "good" one? Or should I get rid of it?

Thanks!

 

[randycornejo]

Asternia starfish

Bad if you have corals, just pulled one out yesterday. They tend to multiply quick and overtake your tank from what I've read. I also read that harlequin shrimp will feed on them. But they will eat any other starfish you have in your tank as well, so you can either pick them out as you see them or you can get a harlequin shrimp and it will eat them, but once you run out of star fish for it to eat you have to keep feeding it some if you want to keep it alive. I have a Blue Linckia Sea Star that I don't want to get eaten so I've gone with picking them out when I see them.

 

[Maritimer]

Those are typically called "Asterina", though I'm given to understand that they're actually Aquilonastra (sp?) stars.

Some folks pull every one they see, others let 'em ride - if there's food available, they'll clone themselves until your tank seems to be snowing a blizzard of little stars. It's often said that the white ones are mostly harmless, while those with some color on them may snack on zoanthids. Some folks will pick up a harlequin shrimp to control the stars in a large enough tank - but keep in mind that the shrimp eats nothing else, and make provision for that.

~Bruce

 

[jsker]

Those are typically called "Asterina", though I'm given to understand that they're actually Aquilonastra (sp?) stars.

Some folks pull every one they see, others let 'em ride - if there's food available, they'll clone themselves until your tank seems to be snowing a blizzard of little stars. It's often said that the white ones are mostly harmless, while those with some color on them may snack on zoanthids. Some folks will pick up a harlequin shrimp to control the stars in a large enough tank - but keep in mind that the shrimp eats nothing else, and make provision for that.

~Bruce

+1

I have the white ones and have not had a issue for my coral being eaten by the stars.