mini blue starfish?

[hbh]

I think I have a mini blue and white starfish??? The little creature has the shape of a starfish but w/ 3 points/legs and is sky blue on top and white rimmed on the edges. It's about the size of a penny. Is this possible? I tried to get a photo but it's to small for my cell phone camera...

Is this a good thing to have? Does anyone who I've gotten/bought corals from have this critter in thier tank?

[zoozilla]

Possibly Asterina Anomala. They've been known to eat coral tissue i.e. LPS and SPS.

 

Do they look like these:

 

 

 

[Origami]

I'm thankful for this thread. I saw one of these in my 29g setup last night. I'll be tracking it down this afternoon and getting it out. It's apparently a baddie.

 

 

 

Having done a little bit of reading in the last half-hour, it seems that they multiply by fission (splitting). Typically having 7 or fewer legs, if you've got a 3 or 4-legged one, you've probably got it's other half somewhere in the aquarium.

[hbh]

Possibly Asterina Anomala. They've been known to eat coral tissue i.e. LPS and SPS.

 

Do they look like these:

 

 

Sort of but with 3 "points". They're pretty tiny- about the size of the end of a kids marker cap. Never seen it before and haven't seen it since.... It is distinctly light blue on top rimmed with white on the bottom. Is there an info. reference or color photo to be had of the ones you mentioned?

I only have mushrooms and a petite slow growing Kenya. Definately will keep my eyes open though. It appears to eat the green hairy algea that I'm struggling with!

[Origami]

See Garf's website at: http://www.garf.org/STAR/starfish.html

 

 

 

I pulled two from my 26 g biocube last night. They were back in the compartments. One had 6 points and the other had 3 points. If what I've read is correct, I've got at least another "half star" in there somewhere since the 3-pointer is probably the result of a recent fission (split).

[hbh]

Sigh. I like starfish... but i guess this one shouldn't stay. How fast do they spilt/clone themselves? I've never seen 1 in my tank before. Are they hard to get off the rock? Do they eat mushrooms? Arrgh.

[Origami]

I don't know. The two that I picked off this morning came off easily.

[Leishman]

I have 100s of these in my 250 and they do not eat SPS, LPS or any other PS, it's BS

[YBeNormal]

I have 100s of these in my 250 and they do not eat SPS, LPS or any other PS, it's BS

 

That's been my experience as well. I have had them in my tanks for years and have never seen them on a coral, much less eating one.

[Origami]

No, you don't say. Another controversy in the reefing world?

 

Seems others have noticed and reported otherwise, directly observing the buggers making a snack of polyps. Still others don't notice a thing.

[jason the filter freak]

i have and idea that similar to crabs they might be oppertunistic eaters if there is plenty of other food sourses algaes and detritus they'll leave your corals alone i have a few in my pico always had and they've never at any point touched my corals. if you dont keep them in your display they may be good candidates for the fuge

[trble81]

If you feel like you're "infested" with them, you could always get a Harlequin shrimp. All they feed on is the tube feet of starfish and if you've got a never-ending supply, you should be golden.

 

 

 

 

--Mike

[YBeNormal]

I did a little research and found a couple of articles explaining that there are many types of Asterina and only a few of them eat coral. None of the articles went into detail about which ones are bad but this may explain why I've never seen any of mine attacking coral.

[NRehman]

I have hundreds also. As far as corals go, I have noticed that they only bother some small zoa frags when the zoas are small (probably due to their relative size to the frags). As far as algae, they are decimating the coraline from my tank.

[hbh]

AAAHHHH! LAst night I pulled a really tiny one out and let it dry. SIGH. It was a sweet little one too... Well, At this point the other one/ rest can stay.

[skipperawe]

yes, thats a star I have 2 in my tank both 3 pointed. they tend to clear all algae from whatever they are on, not so good for me. :(

[hbh]

Well, In terms of my tank having blue starfish, I've only seen them twice. I don't think i'm infested and really wish they could keep up with the algae in my tank. Anyone want to give me a few more? LOL!

[Lee Stearns]

concur with Ric- I have many Asterina and have never know to have any of the bad ones to be in any tanks in this area- Mine eat mainly algea, always a good thing.

[smarsh97]

I have the pink ones that definitely eat polyps. Now my friend has the white ones and they've never touched anything.

 

I had a few white ones and never saw them eating anything but algae.

 

Sandy

[extreme_tooth_decay]

I have many of them. The only think I've ever seen them eat is a snail, which may have already been dead. I think they are neat.

 

But, I don't have any SPS.

 

tim

[hbh]

HI! Well, I now think I have 4-5 nicely visible sized ones. So far no known damage and they seem to occasionally like the green algae on the glass. They are really cute and don't damage the rockwork or the soft type corals that I keep. They seem to tolerate a wide range of water conditions too.

Edited March 3, 2008 by hbh

[treesprite]

this is what I dont understand: why do these little stars, pest anemones, and other such things live through any conditions at all when the ones of the species we want to keep are much less tolerant? I wish it was the other way around!

[Sharkb8]

concur with Ric- I have many Asterina and have never know to have any of the bad ones to be in any tanks in this area- Mine eat mainly algea, always a good thing.

 

 

ditto, I also find the big ones and toss them in my fuge for later use in case anyone wants some.

[hbh]

Mine are very small diamond stud sized. I rarely see them. They are sweet to see though. I suspect that they too get eaten by my fish sometimes. I hope mine do reproduce.