DBL March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 Like the title says. The past 3 days I have seen these starfish on top of close or new small zoa polyps, at first I didn't think much of it but now those zoas are gone, vanish. I now take them off when I see them but im starting to think if I should remove them from my tank. Does anyone know for sure if they eat zoas? I went online and I found contradicting opinions but I would much trust someone with experience here in WAMAS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 I don't think they eat zoas, but they can most certainly cover them until they die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBL March 6, 2014 Author Share March 6, 2014 That could be what they are doing, not good. I think I will start removing some of them specially if I see another one on top of a zoa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 You can also try a harlequin shrimp, if you have enough A. Starfish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBL March 6, 2014 Author Share March 6, 2014 Will a harlequin shrimp be ok with a cleaner shrimp already in my tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 There are hobbyists, even here, that have reported coral-eating Asterina. Google "Asterina site:garf.org" for one experience. Sent from my LG G-Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 There are multiple types of asterinas. It seems to me that the more "standard" looking ones that are a solid color off-white with uniform color and thickness are ok. But the ones that have fatter middles that are grey and have shorter legs, are the ones I find killing zoanthids. I used to only have the first type and thought they were cute, but then I started having the second ones. Now the second ones have taken over the tank like an infestation. I'm sure they are helping the tank somehow, but I wish I could keep them away from zoanthids. Nardoa starfish would eat the asterinas for you. They are hard to get, otherwise I would have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crob5965 March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 Interesting, I have read before that these were bad and could eat certain coral, but I have had hem in my tank for over a year and not noticed anything. I can usually see 2-3 at any one time but i'm sure there's a lot more but still I wouldn't call that an infestation. I have found 1-2 blue/grey ones before and left then in there, I think I'll pull them out from now on just in case. Mt LFS has tons of them in their Coral tanks and it doesn't seem to hurt anything, I asked about them when I first started my tank and of course they said they were harmless and actually beneficial to the tank, but let's face it if you were trying sell something that had 100's of them in your tank, I doubt you'd say that they will infest your tank and eat all your zoas lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBL March 6, 2014 Author Share March 6, 2014 Origami, thanks for the article over at garf.org, great read. I think I have the fatter with grey and shorter legs ones, I will be pulling them out of my tank today. Thanks everyone for your help and replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 As you can see from treesprite's and crob's posts, there are mixed experiences with them here, even for a single person who ultimately changes their mind when something changes in their tank. I've never seen anything definitive about the different species theory, but there's plenty of reports or there from hobbyists that try to explain it this way. If I see one, I just take the safe course and remove it. Others, though, have lived with them for years without problem. It's because of these different experiences that you'll get varied opinions on the topic. Sent from my LG G-Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjamaya March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 Was there something wrong with the zoas to begin with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBL March 6, 2014 Author Share March 6, 2014 Was there something wrong with the zoas to begin with?Not that I know of, it was doing fine. When I notice it was early morning when zoas are close, i saw the starfish on it but didnt think much of it so I went to work, when I got back zoas was a goner. I have a frag of zoas that have been close for like a week (i think i will lose them) but I have never see stars on top of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bravanc March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 i have hundreds in my tank and they don't seem to do any harm. i see them mostly on the sand bed and edges close to the glass. when lights go out they climb up the glass and by morning they are gone. Seem like there is alot more now... maybe its time for a Harlequin shrimp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08can-am March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 I have a few types in my tank and yes they are attacking zoas. I have a harlequin shrimp but he cant keep up. I started manually pulling them last night Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjamaya March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 Reason why I ask is because I've only notice them eat zoas when there is something wrong. I think the zoas release some form of stench that attracts the stars. I placed some zoas that were closed for a week next to a full blooming colony (making sure they dont touch) and just sat and watched. Immediately within an hour there were 5 stars crawling all over the closed colony but not touching the open one. When one did move over to the open colony it quickly hoped back over to the closed one..... By the end of the night that colony was eaten away and the stars just slowly walked away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 Good observations wamasers. I have the standard looking ones. They don't bother anything in my tank and I keep a close eye on everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime March 6, 2014 Share March 6, 2014 Good observations wamasers. I have the standard looking ones. They don't bother anything in my tank and I keep a close eye on everything. +1 I will revoke my first statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crob5965 March 7, 2014 Share March 7, 2014 honestly they are kinda cool but if I thought that they were even thinking about touching one of my coral I would toss them. I will probably start pulling them out myself when I see them. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crob5965 March 7, 2014 Share March 7, 2014 Reason why I ask is because I've only notice them eat zoas when there is something wrong. I think the zoas release some form of stench that attracts the stars. I placed some zoas that were closed for a week next to a full blooming colony (making sure they dont touch) and just sat and watched. Immediately within an hour there were 5 stars crawling all over the closed colony but not touching the open one. When one did move over to the open colony it quickly hoped back over to the closed one..... By the end of the night that colony was eaten away and the stars just slowly walked away. That's interesting, I have never thought about that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08can-am March 7, 2014 Share March 7, 2014 Night twos catch. Hoping between me catching some and the harlequin eating them I will be free of them in a week or two Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBL March 7, 2014 Author Share March 7, 2014 I started tossing them today too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b March 7, 2014 Share March 7, 2014 I had asterinas. Used tweezers and plucked every single one out until they were extinct in my tank. Haven't seen one in a year. Its best to hunt them at night and you must be diligent. Never let one single one go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore March 7, 2014 Share March 7, 2014 I think there are multiple species too. I have some that definitely attack zoas. They seem to go after the most expensive ones first. I'm going to add some harlequin shrimp also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM March 7, 2014 Share March 7, 2014 Don't toss them. I bet some of the LFS that sell harlequins might be interested in taking them off your hands to keep them happy in the store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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