jamesbuf April 24, 2008 Share April 24, 2008 My tank is officially being overrun by those mini starfish. I know there are small shrimp I can buy that eat starfish, but what other natural remedies are there? Any specific wrasses? Maybe a blue jaw trigger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevearlen April 24, 2008 Share April 24, 2008 Are these are problem or are you just tired of so many? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbuf April 24, 2008 Author Share April 24, 2008 Are these are problem or are you just tired of so many? I've seen a few of them on my zoos. Couldn't really tell if they were really eating them or not, but them a couple days ago I found 3 of them on one of my dentro babies and they appeared to have eaten the flesh off the base. Not sure if it died first and the stars were just scavaging, but I'm not trying to find out. I have noticed an explosing in how many I have. They only used to come out at night, but now they are on the glass and out and about during the day too. So the answer is both. I'm tired of so many and I think the population might have boomed enough to where they aren't just scavaging anymore, they're hunting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luceneck April 25, 2008 Share April 25, 2008 Jamesbuf, I have been playing with the idea of getting one of those shrimp for some time now. I'm not sure if your concern is long term feeding but I have an idea that I have been playing with in my head. The Harlequin Tour (these are just ideas, not rules) - Setup a group of individuals interested in a harlequins help, but not in the long term care involved with buying starfish to feed them. - Determine a Starfish count level and time to eradicate. Example: - - 5 starfish visible at a time = 1 week - - 10 starfish visible at a time = 2 weeks - - 20 starfish visible at a time = 3.5 weeks - Collect member names, tank setup, locations, and count/eradicate rating. - Setup a tour schedule so the shrimp does not go to 2 low starfish tanks in a row and proximity. Contact all members for approval and notification that this is a set schedule and if you miss your pickup you may be skipped. - First person goes out and purchases the shrimp in full. - When their scheduled time is up the next buyer goes to the house with the shrimp and pays (in full price) for the shrimp and takes it home. - Then the next person, and the next, etc... __________________________________________________________________ Tour Clause: If the shrimp dies in a tour tank the next member is responsible for buying a new shrimp and continuing the tour. Locations can be repeated if deemed large enough. Wild Card members may be needed to help in case food gets low before next pickup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So what do you think? Too much work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman April 25, 2008 Share April 25, 2008 Luciano - I actually think that's a pretty awesome idea. I was considering proposing the same thing for some Bergia nudibranch's to do in my aiptasia. I like the idea - but I wouldn't want them to die if they did manage to kill off my population. I have never had a 'problem' with the stars - although I did get the impression that a couple of them were eating a particular coral of mine. I just removed them. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite April 25, 2008 Share April 25, 2008 somewhere around here I posted about this. There is a starfish that will eat the tiny stars and I guess I'll have to find my post to remember what it's called. I was thinking of getting one after having the new baby blue xenia frag got masacred somewhere around here I posted about this. There is a starfish that will eat the tiny stars and I guess I'll have to find my post to remember what it's called. I was thinking of getting one after having the new baby blue xenia frag got masacred here, found it... nardoa sea stars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHUBAKAH April 25, 2008 Share April 25, 2008 somewhere around here I posted about this. There is a starfish that will eat the tiny stars and I guess I'll have to find my post to remember what it's called. I was thinking of getting one after having the new baby blue xenia frag got masacred somewhere around here I posted about this. There is a starfish that will eat the tiny stars and I guess I'll have to find my post to remember what it's called. I was thinking of getting one after having the new baby blue xenia frag got masacred here, found it... nardoa sea stars Is there an echo in here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite April 25, 2008 Share April 25, 2008 lol... how on earth did that happen? here's a pic of a nardoa eating an asterina: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/gallery.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRehman April 25, 2008 Share April 25, 2008 James, We too had an explosion. So...I've had two harlequin in my tank for about two months. I think that the number of aterinas are not increasing, but I can't say that they are rapidly decreasing. On the other hand, the shrimp are no longer, well, shrimpy. They have at least doubled in size, so must be eating something. Now our routine is each week to use a fish net to sweep the tank walls. The asterinas are denser than the water and fall right into the net. It works pretty well. I believe that this two prong attack has definitely reduced the asterinas. I may eventually pass on the harlequins, but they are spectacular - and not shy! Note, that I have two chocolate stars in my sump in case I need some, ummn, parts for the harlequins. They do like the chocolate stars, as I found out when one of the chocolates decided to check my pump mechanics. The harlequins were carrying the leg all over the place like edible suitcases! Luciano, Your idea is great with the caveat that it's not fast to get rid of asterinas, especially when they get to a point where they are crawling over everything...especially zoas! Harlequins, may or may not be the solution. Without our weekly netting, we would have many more asterinas. I'll let you all know if there is major success. However, physical removal works best. I run a siphon which just sucks them off the walls and rock or coral bases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaironman April 25, 2008 Share April 25, 2008 Anybody wants to get rid of these little starfishes, please save 3 - 5 for me. I can put them in Sterling elementary school, 12 Gallon nano, for the little children to "ooohhhh, aahhhhhhh......". Adding a little fun to their daily school life. Cheers, KLee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRehman April 25, 2008 Share April 25, 2008 KLee, If you want some, I'm very close to Key Bridge. Take as many as you want! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowardofNOVA April 25, 2008 Share April 25, 2008 ANSWER: Harlequin Shrimp!! I had 100's of them in my frag tank and main tank! I know I've heard that they don't bother much, but I don't like the idea of seeing them crawling all over my Montis/Danae, etc. The Harlequin would literally go around and one after another pull the Starfish off the glass and go at it! Was pretty cool and they are of course very beautiful too! So if you all remember, I picked up a Harlequin and turned it loose in my 30g frag. These guys metabolisms must be off the charts! I usually see 50-80 of them on the glass at night in a BB tank, after 2 weeks, I noticed fewer, after 3 noticeable MIA!! Was talking to Chip about moving it to my main tank, A couple of days later only noticed a few stragglers and was planning on moving 2 days later when the next day I found it dead in the tank! So my recommendation is to allow them to reduce the numbers, but when you get them to just straggler levels to move on to another tank quick!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite April 25, 2008 Share April 25, 2008 I can't put the shrimp in my tank because I have a dottyback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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