Question about Asterina stars and Mithrax crabs

[hessfish125]

I started about 5 months ago in the hobby. I have a fish and coral 125 gal set up. I have about 100 lbs live rock and 2-3" sand base. I was reading some old posts (circa 2011) and saw mixed reviews on Asterina stars and Mithrax crabs.

I have had the stars just show up. I have two. Should I remove them?

I bought 2 Mithrax crabs from my local fish store at the recommendation of a staffer. Is this a problem?

I have the following stock:
Sailfin/Algae Blenny (Salarias fasciatus)
3 Kaudern's Cardinal - Banggai (Pterapogon kauderni)
Christmas Wrasse (Halichoeres claudia )
2 Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
Longnose Hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus)
One Spot Foxface (Siganus unimaculatus)
2 Diamond Watchman Goby (Valenciennea puellaris)
5 Blue/Green Reef Chromis (Chromis viridis)
Yellow Tang - Hawaii (Zebrasoma flavescens)
Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)

5 Super Tongan Nassarius Snail (Nassarius distortus)
10 Zebra Turbo Snail (Turbo sp.)

non-fish
True Bubble Tip Rose Anenome (Entacmaea Quadricolor)
Metallic Green Goniopora
Neon Polyp True Undata - Aquacultured (Montipora undata)
Frogspawn Coral, Thin Branched (Euphyllia paradivisa)
Brain coral
Pulsing Xenia- Heteroxenia Polyp (Heteroxenia sp.)

I am not sure what to do.
John

[pandimus]

Get rid of the stars. I've been pulling out 80 to 100 stars for the past week.. Not sure about the crabs.

[erndog1001]

Not sure about the crabs. As for the Asternias. I've only ever read of them bothering certain Zoanthids. Although in my 125 gal I had hundreds and they never bothered anything. I've just recently started a very large tank and I actually seeded some from the old tank to help with cleanup. Now I'm no expert and I'm sure somebody is going to call me out on what I've just said. But I've never in almost 6 yrs of this hobby seen one do any harm so that's my story and I'm sticking to it. lol

[Spyderturbo007]

The crabs are hit or miss from what I've read and what they have listed on Live Aquaria.

Originally Posted by LiveAquaria

Care needs to be taken to ensure an ample supply of food is available for the Emerald Crab. Many aquarists supplement the Emerald Crab's diet with dried seaweed and chopped meaty foods, such as shrimp, as well as a quality pellet fish food.

Otherwise, this opportunistic feeder may turn to corals, invertebrates, or small fish for a food source. However, when well fed, most Emerald Crabs are very tolerant of their tankmates and highly compatible in reef environments. Like other invertebrates, the Emerald Crab does not tolerate copper-based medications or fluctuating water parameters.

My Asterina stars don't seem to bother anything other than my coralline algae.

[Dmorty217]

Asternias will eat anything and everything when the algae is gone. They will secrete the stomach on a coral and eat the coral, not the whole thing but there will be a clear dead spot on the coral. Buy a harlequin shrimp and let him get to work. If you see two today there will be 6 tomorrow and so on

[cloak]

Both the crabs and the stars are hit or miss IMO. Just to be safe though, I wouldn't want either one in my tank. Good luck though.

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index....efkeeping-101-

[ptreef]

I'd pull them now if you can. I seem to have tons now and don't seem to have issues. I just pull and toss them as I see them now. They do reproduce fast as well.

[hessfish125]

Thank you all. Seems to be safer to remove. Do you place the star in the sump or do what with them?

Will the a harlequin shrimp eat the star? Or do you mean I should remove the star and replace with a harlequin shrimp?

[ptreef]

Toss down drain or take to lfs if u don't want to pitch. Harlequin will eat them