Asterina starfish predator

[lowsingle]

I have a large population of asterina starfish and I was thinking of purchasing a predator to control their growth....I hear harlequin shrimp work, but I was wondering how many starfish the shrimp would eat in a day? I don't want to buy more starfish, so I only want a predator that can live off of my existing starfish (I have well over a hundred in the tank).

 

Any thoughts or experiences to share?

 

Thanks,

Darren

[molcott]

Harlequin Shrimp will eliminate the problem but in time you will either have to buy starfish to feed it or rehome it

[treesprite]

Nardoa starfish eat asterina starfish.

[zygote2k]

Nardoa starfish eat asterina starfish.

sometimes.

 

In all reality, it's super simple to siphon them out of the tank in the early morning before the lights are on when they are on the back wall and sides of the tank. In a week, you can decimate the population.

[lowsingle]

sometimes.

 

In all reality, it's super simple to siphon them out of the tank in the early morning before the lights are on when they are on the back wall and sides of the tank. In a week, you can decimate the population.

I don't mind the population....just wondering if I have a free /easy food source for a interesting addition to the reef. I don't mind them at all and they don't seem to bother my corals....

 

Darren

[gmerek2]

I usually see people begging for starfish on here about 1-2 weeks after getting one

[KingOfAll_Tyrants]

IME, fhe population will go up and down. Mostly down after an initial surge like you're describing. I had dozens when my tank first started, coming from stuff from someone else's tank. Now i only see one every other day or so.

 

I attribute it (completely without proof)to predation, at first by nassarius snails (which i bought), and then by ghost shrimp that ( i didn't know I had- i literally just saw them in the tank one day without the slightest clue where they came from).

 

Some may have been also eaten by an Olivia sayana, a large predatory snail from the Carolina to Caribbean coast (which also literally suddenly emerged one day from my sand bed. I assume it came with some live sand from a vendor in Florida). Said Olivia is now in a seperate holding tank - it's big, it's awesome but i don't know if i want it eating other inverts in the dt. A smaller tank may also be better for it.

 

I don't think any of these are systematic starfish eaters as the Harlequin shrimp. Except for maybe the Olivia, which is commercially available, but imo not a good choice for a reef tank. That being said, I would be curious if you have any Nassarius snails, and if they have put a dent in all in your starfish population .

Edited December 11, 2017 by KingOfAll_Tyrants

[gws3]

What size tank? I have a pair of harlequins in the 300. They stay on one side of the tank and the asterinas seem to reproduce on the other side. I find them effective to keep the population in check, they're easy to keep and interesting to watch.

[lowsingle]

I have a 150g tank and have nassarius snails that live in my sand bed. They reproduce all the time as I see their egg clutches on my tank walls, but I don't think they touch the starfish. Do you think a single harlequin shrimp could live in a 150? I have a ton of these stars all over the tank

 

Darren

[YHSublime]

I'm pretty sure the Harlequin Shrimp is one of those creatures that shouldn't be sold in the aquarium trade, mostly because it will deplete your astrenia population very quickly, and then will need additional food sources.

 

Have you tried just siphoning them out with water changes to lessen them? 

[madweazl]

My experience with them has been that they die off to very low numbers on their own a month or two after the population explosion. Has happened in each tank I've setup, I wouldnt worry about it.

[KingOfAll_Tyrants]

My experience with them has been that they die off to very low numbers on their own a month or two after the population explosion. Has happened in each tank I've setup, I wouldnt worry about it.

Forgot to add, this too. Whatever got the population going dies down as the tank (or part of the ocean) matures, leaving the asterinas to die down.

[gws3]

In my experience asterina starfish populations and harlequins are sustainable in a larger tank. I've had mine for at least a year. I believe a component of my success is the size of the tank (300DD) and the rockwork. I have a lot of rock and it forms three large bommies. The harlequin pair has a home in the bommie on the left side of the tank. The asterina population is maintained on the other side of the tank. The harlequins can always be found in one area. Occasionally I see one making its way across the bottom of the tank to grab an asterina from the middle ground and then it will return to it's cave in the left bommie.

 

I think you could keep one in a 150. Especially if there are separate rock structures at the bottom of the tank. If it is one large rock structure the harlequin may roam around within it and deplete the population. But if they need to come out into the light to get from one rock structure to the other I think this would prevent them from eating them all.