Tiny Starfish, are they pests?

[Utahsaltnoob]

i have just acquired a new anemone attached to a piece of live rock. It has little tiny starfish on the rock, kinda misshapen. Are they pest or just more CUC?

Thank you,

 

[Brad Miller]

Some little starfishes are considered pests....can you post a pic under white lights ??

 

[GabeM]

If it's an asternia snail it's in the air but I've seen them on my zoas so I pick them whenever I see them. They can reproduce rapidly by spitting

 

[KrisReef]

“Misshapen” sounds like an asterina.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes asterina. They can be pests as they multiply like mice. Although most feed on algae, some feed on zoa. Not worth having them

 

[Utahsaltnoob]

Yes asterina. They can be pests as they multiply like mice. Although most feed on algae, some feed on zoa. Not worth having them

Gotcha after googling it I think they are asterina
I found some images on google similar

 

[HawaiianReef]

Yup, they multiply.. Faaast

 

[LAReefer4Life]

Yes nuisance pest. Get rid of them!

 

[HawaiianReef]

Those little guys, bristle worms and aptasia. Those three are the reasons why I would spend 3 months curing live rock. Their pain in the butts!

 

[Erica-Renee]

They are not in my Opinion a pest they actually feed mostly on Coraline algae and Only get on Corals that have algae on them or dying from what i have seen in my tanks over Many YEARS.. They are Like Bristle worms and others they self regulate based on Food Source. My thinking if you see them in great numbers in your tank you have a nutrient issue. Like algae they can be a sign of future issues before your test kit can detect.. as they Consume

I say keep and adjust Nutrient input so they do not end up multiplying ...

We all do not have to agree...... Erica Renee

 

[HawaiianReef]

I did agree to not worrying about them. But I recently set up a fallow tank that I saw maybe 5-8 stars. Within 10 days they were everywhere. It was faster than any outbreak I've had. I know they'll consume nutrients, but I want those nutrients for the corals in there. I would just rather not have them at all.

 

[HawaiianReef]

What part of Utah are you in Utahsaltnoob?
Im in ogden

 

[Eve]

Gotcha after googling it I think they are asterina
I found some images on google similar

They are so cute!! Lol a lot of people don’t consider them pest!

 

[ScottR]

I pluck out any that I can easily remove. I used to sump them but I have enough dwellers there that I just toss them. They multiply fast. Cute at first. But not later.

 

[Rabidwolf]

I had 100s never touched my Zoas.

 

[Doctorgori]

I see those occasionally but back in the day those were an epidemic ... no clue why they go nuts in some tanks but not in others

 

[Paul B]

I have hundreds and like them. Free inverts.