tiny starfish bad?

[baseballfanatic2]

Are these tiny starfish bad?

 

[jared19k]

Those are Asterina stars. Some are harmless, but there are a few types that eat coral. They also reproduce like crazy and will become a nuisance, my advice is to kill them when you see them.

 

[baseballfanatic2]

Those are Asterina stars. Some are harmless, but there are a few types that eat coral. They also reproduce like crazy and will become a nuisance, my advice is to kill them when you see them.

How do you know which ones are bad?

 

[jared19k]

From everything I have read there is no real way to tell, I haven't done a lot of research on them because I only have had them on my tank one time. They are just a pest, that may eat coral. I honestly wouldent stress out about them just squish them when you see them on the glass.

 

[baseballfanatic2]

From everything I have read there is no real way to tell, I haven't done a lot of research on them because I only have had them on my tank one time. They are just a pest, that may eat coral. I honestly wouldent stress out about them just squish them when you see them on the glass.

OK thanks

 

[Reefing Madness]

Your is fine. The ones that have coloration are the bad type.

 

[jared19k]

Your is fine. The ones that have coloration are the bad type.

Good to know, would you still recommend getting rid of them as you see them?

 

[Reefing Madness]

No, I've got hundreds in my tank, the only bad thing they do is eat up coralline algae.

 

[ReefBum]

They can multiply fast and become a real eyesore. I would get rid of them by physically taking them out of the tank. And a harlequin shrimp will take care of the ones you can't pull out.

 

[Congaken]

Its the eating of coraline algae that concerns me...I get rid of them because I am just starting to cultivate coraline...since my reef is only 10 gal., I scoop them out and deep six them...