What is this?

[s2r2h]

Sorry for the bad picture guys. But wondering if you could help me. I've noticed a small white star like shape on the front of my tank. And it's slowly moving. O have 6 damsel in the tank at the moment. Doesn't seem to doing any harm. Just wondering what it is. Thank you.

 

[KJ]

Asterina.

 

[greenhorn reefer]

Sorry for the bad picture guys. But wondering if you could help me. I've noticed a small white star like shape on the front of my tank. And it's slowly moving. O have 6 damsel in the tank at the moment. Doesn't seem to doing any harm. Just wondering what it is. Thank you.

If you have a reef, remove it.

 

[easternreefer]

If you have a reef, remove it.

not necessarily.. most of the asterinas do not bother corals and are a great member of the cleanup crew. Watch and monitor.. they reproduce easily and can get to be very high in numbers. If you find that they are bothering you can remove them but if not.. you have another piece of diversity in your tank.

 

[authentic]

They get out of control quickly ,recently added harlequin shrimp to my tank,it's been a month and there are still some around.once they are gone I'll send him back to the store before he starves.not taking any chances with all my coral at risk

 

[DSC reef]

Some are coral munchers, some are grazers. No definite way to tell. They can get put of hand in population so just keep an eye out.

 

[Vincent100]

I've hundreds and they have never caused a problem in my tank

 

[greenhorn reefer]

I've hundreds and they have never caused a problem in my tank

Maybe you lucked out and have the good type or maybe you can't see the damage they do? I do t know, I have heard that having such a large quantity is never good.

 

[SmokeyGnar]

As long as the population doesn't explode they're not necessarily harmful. Picking them out periodically during water changes helps (also a nutrient export method haha) and if they ever get out of hand a couple harlequin shrimp usually make quick work of them