My tank is over run with asterina starfish and it never bothered me before, but I think they are eating my coral now. I keep finding them on my problem corals. After doing the research I think I want them gone. I know not all eat coral, but I'm not willing to take the chance any longer. I was wondering if anyone in our group has a harlequin shrimp currently or if anyone would be interested in going in on one and passing it around the club to anyone who is interested in eradicating the asterina from their tank. I want them gone, but I'm not willing to feed it chocolate starfish after he gets rid of the asterina. Anyone interested ?
I don't have many in my tank as I try to pull them out if I see them. They are a cool looking shrimp I have say. If I ever got over run I would sure be interested
I'm sure reefers will donate stars once your population is depleted. It's popular to blame stars when reading posts about them eating coral. I thought I had that problem but eventually figured out they were simply eating dead or dying flesh. Are there species that eat coral, sure! However, I suspect more often than not these guys are cleaning up a mess.
The only coral I've heard of them eating is zoas. I see them on stoney corals if there is a dead spot there. Pretty sure they are eating algae growing there or as Mark said dead flesh. I would love to have some Harlaquin's but I like my starfish too much. From what I've read feeding them chocolate chip isn't too involved. They're cheap and you could just keep one in the sump and detach an arm every so often for them to eat. If you're lucky they will regrow the arm.
Yes, that's an asterina. I don't think you have to remove them. They pretty much self regulate. If you have a high nutrient system they will multiply, if you don't their numbers usually remain small. I took out 25 or so of my tank a couple of months ago thinking they were about to bloom in numbers and now I have trouble finding one in the tank.
I see one every now and then in my tank too. For me, they haven't become a problem. Usually see them tucked into a rock crevice or on the back wall since I don't scrape it as often as the front 3 sides.
