reeferericb
Active Member
Can someone confirm if these are ok? I see several of them now after seeing the first one this morning.
Very small starfish looking things
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Uzidaisies
Well-Known Member
Kinda looks like some star polyps. Do they have eight tentacles on each polyp?
BTimms
Active Member
I believe those are aquilonastra starfish. Commonly mistaken as asterina stars.
They are actually very good for your reef environment eating algae and dead tissue. Many will falsely claim that they eat coral, although they do not. They may be seen eating dead or dying tissue off a coral.
Don’t throw them out, they are beneficial. They will reproduce but will reach a limit depending on food resources.
en.m.wikipedia.org
They are actually very good for your reef environment eating algae and dead tissue. Many will falsely claim that they eat coral, although they do not. They may be seen eating dead or dying tissue off a coral.
Don’t throw them out, they are beneficial. They will reproduce but will reach a limit depending on food resources.
Aquilonastra - Wikipedia
OP
OP
reeferericb
Active Member
The star fish thing is next to the polyps.
brode
Active Member
Can someone confirm if these are ok? I see several of them now after seeing the first one this morning.
Looks like an asterina star fish which is a pestCan someone confirm if these are ok? I see several of them now after seeing the first one this morning.
OP
OP
reeferericb
Active Member
That would be a good thing for once. It seems like I’ve been having a bit of bad luck recently with the tank.I believe those are aquilonastra starfish. Commonly mistaken as asterina stars.
They are actually very good for your reef environment eating algae and dead tissue. Many will falsely claim that they eat coral, although they do not. They may be seen eating dead or dying tissue off a coral.
Aquilonastra - Wikipedia
Uzidaisies
Well-Known Member
Oooh lol yeah that’s an asterina.
Uzidaisies
Well-Known Member
Or those other ones, I have no idea. Any way to tell besides color? They’re in the same family different genus.
OP
OP
reeferericb
Active Member
These are definitely Aquino astray and not asterina based on the link you shared.I believe those are aquilonastra starfish. Commonly mistaken as asterina stars.
They are actually very good for your reef environment eating algae and dead tissue. Many will falsely claim that they eat coral, although they do not. They may be seen eating dead or dying tissue off a coral.
Don’t throw them out, they are beneficial. They will reproduce but will reach a limit depending on food resources.
Aquilonastra - Wikipedia
BTimms
Active Member
Don’t throw them out.
They will help dwindle down the algae, detritus, and nutrients. Their population will be limited by available food.
People have been misinform About these stars and scared by them for no reason other than heresay.
BTimms
Active Member
Send them to me...don’t chuck them.
Timfish
Crusty Old Salt
It's easy to tell between Aquilonasta and Asterina. Aquilonastra species reporoduce fissiparously or by splitting so there will be differences in leg sizes. Asterina only reproduce sexually so are not likely to reproduce in aquaria and their legs will be equal in size. Aquilonastra feed off biofilms and algae and I would consider them very beneficial. In the cases where they are on corals from what I've seen they are at worst a secondary issue and not the primary cause of a problem and may in fact be doing a needed job cleaning off an unhealthy biofilm.
Here's an monograph on them in addiiton to @BTimms link:
Here's an monograph on them in addiiton to @BTimms link:
Chrisv.
2500 Club Member
The other name is the correct name but in the hobby they have been called astarina for decades. If you call them the right name nobody will know what you're talking about. Reef builders reef therapy podcast just did a nauseatingly pedantic podcast episode about this.
BTimms
Active Member
Yeah, Its great that we have learned so much, and are now finally calling them by their proper name. In turn, realizing they are beneficial and no longer being thrown in the trash.
Chrisv.
2500 Club Member
Honestly I still toss them. They are a bit prolific for my taste.
WheatToast
2500 Club Member
A little off topic, but do you know if Aquilonastra will eat macroalgae, including Coralline. In that case, they would still be pests in my planted marine aquarium.I believe those are aquilonastra starfish. Commonly mistaken as asterina stars.
They are actually very good for your reef environment eating algae and dead tissue. Many will falsely claim that they eat coral, although they do not. They may be seen eating dead or dying tissue off a coral.
Don’t throw them out, they are beneficial. They will reproduce but will reach a limit depending on food resources.
Aquilonastra - Wikipedia
