Asterina Starfish , should I take them out?

[moga]

i have hundres of Asterina Starfish in my tanks..

 

i heard Asterina Starfish would destry zoath... is that true?....

 

should i remove them as i see them?

 

any idea?~

[Nate]

Destroy zoanthids??? Where did you hear that? I have literally thousands of asterinas in my DT and many zoa frags and colonies and have never had an issue.

[moga]

Destroy zoanthids??? Where did you hear that? I have literally thousands of asterinas in my DT and many zoa frags and colonies and have never had an issue.

I think i read it from webmedia.~..

[Origami]

Destroy zoanthids??? Where did you hear that? I have literally thousands of asterinas in my DT and many zoa frags and colonies and have never had an issue.

 

It's an ongoing debate. There are plenty of references to at least some species of asterina eating zoanthid polyps. Here's but one: http://www.garf.org/Star/starfish.html

 

Part of the debate is whether or not the stars are eating weakened or already dead organisms. Even here, some have witnessed asterina consuming zoa polyps. On the other hand, there are people like you who have many in their systems and do not have an issue. That is probably why the community is divided and why it may be settling in on "some species" may be problematic. In other cases, I've seen people change their minds from "they're harmless" to "they're predators" when they begin to notice problems.

 

If you have a lot and want to get rid of them, harlequin shrimp are a natural predator of asterina and other sea stars.

[luceneck]

They are several types of Asterina and I have some in my tank right now that aren't a problem.

 

But, in the past I've had to peel them off my RPEs because they would wrap themselves around a polyp and feast on them. When I pulled it off the skin of the RPE had a dark mark on it right where the mouth of the asterina was located. After doing this a few times I made it a regular thing to check my frags and under the plugs for Asterinas. Do what you will with them, but if I could get rid of all the ones in my tank I would. To me saying that they just eat "sick an dying" zoanthids is just not true and an easy way to dismiss something that you haven't experienced.

 

The following is from Who Dah on the Reef2Reef link below

I have personally seen them take out frags, small frags, and even colonies.

 

The problem is that there's like a brazillion different asterinas. Some are safe, others aren't. Further, they don't "eat" all Zoanthids. One of my Zoa buddies has Asterinas and asks the question before asking for a frag, "Are they Asterina-safe?"

 

I swear they tend to favor the caribbean zoanthids. But two exact examples of "non-asterina-safe" morphs are bleeding hearts and rastas. I've had so many requests for Rastas. No exaggeration: the last three times they were finally abundant enough that I was considering fragging, asterinas got to them. Didn't wipe them out completely, but brought their numbers down from 30's to 5's and 8's. One of the times, an asterina took out about 1/2 the colony. I caught the asterina and pulled it out. The other 1/2 of the colony was fine. The 1/2 he "ate" suffered severe polyp loss.

 

So for me? I keep harlequin shrimp.

 

 

The trick is to catch your harlequin shrimp before you exhaust their food source and then pass them on to someone else in your local club w/ the same issue. Inevitably, that person will have their starfish population diminished and can then do the same. Soon enough, you yourself will need the harlequin back again.

 

http://www.reef2reef.com/forums/f14/asteri...html#post122223

http://www.zoaid.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1426

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/cu...eefkeeping-101-

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...hlight=asterina

[treesprite]

I think there are some that are fine and some that are destructive.... depends on which ones you have.

 

The harlequin shrimp don't do so great in tanks.... a nardoa starfish will eat the asterinas, though they are not easy to find in shops.

[Reefer37]

I have been battling a species of Asterina Starfish in my tank that I am 100% sure is eating my coraline algae. I pick anywere from 2 to 20 out of the tank on any given day, a couple have been up to the size of a quarter but most are small. They have never bothered my zoas or palys though, but i wonder if they are what ate my clove polyps. I have been trying to buy a harlequin localy but have had no luck.

[reefhunter]

HARLEQIUN SHRIMP ARE THE ANSWER. I am babysitting Boret's harley right now... you can hand him asterina and watch him eat them right in front of you. I have yet to see one die in captivity as long as you have stars. When your stars are gone, put him on Wamas and someone will jump on it right away.

 

Also, they are just about the coolest looking creature you can get for your tank.

[Jarosh]

Harleqiuns are great, they more than took care of my astrea issue when they took off on me.

[moga]

HARLEQIUN SHRIMP ARE THE ANSWER. I am babysitting Boret's harley right now... you can hand him asterina and watch him eat them right in front of you. I have yet to see one die in captivity as long as you have stars. When your stars are gone, put him on Wamas and someone will jump on it right away.

 

Also, they are just about the coolest looking creature you can get for your tank.

 

 

Ok..now i want my harlequin shrimp

[reefhunter]

you should two that are paired up.. twice the asternia killing power

[overklok]

My harlys are munching away at those rotten starfish right now!!!

[DaveS]

Any other suggestions on things that eat the Asterina stars? Copperbands?

 

I got some nice live rock from a tank with tons of them so I'm sure they hitched a ride. Not a major concern but it would be nice to have one less undesired critter in my system.

[txaggies07]

I moved my Puffer from a tank with no asterina to a tank with a bunch. 2 Days later...no asterina to be found.

[johnnybv]

I moved my Puffer from a tank with no asterina to a tank with a bunch. 2 Days later...no asterina to be found.

I use the harlequins as well, with good results. I find the stars smothering small, expensive, frags......doesnt make me very happy.....

john

[luceneck]

Any other suggestions on things that eat the Asterina stars? Copperbands?

 

I got some nice live rock from a tank with tons of them so I'm sure they hitched a ride. Not a major concern but it would be nice to have one less undesired critter in my system.

 

Bumble bee shrimps are supposed to take care of them, cost less, and can be kept without having to feed starfish once the plague is eradicated.

 

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_di...amp;pcatid=1969

[sen5241b]

There are numerous species of asterina. The type with a small blue spot WILL eat coralline. I picked them out with tweezers until they were extinct in my tank but you have to be vigiliant.