Asterina Starfish

payton34 · 01/17/2010, 08:31 PM

Set up a new 56 gallon SW with live rock about two weeks ago and am cycling. Noticed 3 new Asterina starfish have crawled out of the rock and taken up residence in the corners of the tank.

Some websites seem to indicate that these guys will replicate very fast and can be a pest. This tank is intended to be fish only ... no corals. Should I be concerned, or happy to have my little stowaways working to clean?

Sisterlimonpot · 01/17/2010, 08:32 PM

Leave them in. they will be a part of your clean up crew.

BTW

To Reef Central

thegrun · 01/17/2010, 08:36 PM

Never had much of a problem with them For all the horror stories I've read about them, I don't know anyone who actually have had a problem with them overrunning their tank. Yes they will multiply but I doubt they will ever become a problem.

jk1nole · 01/17/2010, 09:30 PM

I had a bunch when I set up my tank 2 months ago. I also heard they were bad, so I started to pick them out with tweezers. I got annoyed that it was taking awhile... so I just let them go.

They never got out of control. I think a bunch died off. I still see a couple here and there, but they don't bother anything.

David Jr. · 01/17/2010, 09:36 PM

And the best part.. If they do get out of control, just buy a pair of harlequin shrimp! (Those guys are awesome.)

01/17/2010, 08:31 PM	#1
payton34 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 1	Asterina Starfish Set up a new 56 gallon SW with live rock about two weeks ago and am cycling. Noticed 3 new Asterina starfish have crawled out of the rock and taken up residence in the corners of the tank. Some websites seem to indicate that these guys will replicate very fast and can be a pest. This tank is intended to be fish only ... no corals. Should I be concerned, or happy to have my little stowaways working to clean?

01/17/2010, 08:32 PM	#2
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	Leave them in. they will be a part of your clean up crew. BTW *To Reef Central* __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

01/17/2010, 08:36 PM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Never had much of a problem with them For all the horror stories I've read about them, I don't know anyone who actually have had a problem with them overrunning their tank. Yes they will multiply but I doubt they will ever become a problem.

01/17/2010, 09:30 PM	#4
jk1nole Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 211	I had a bunch when I set up my tank 2 months ago. I also heard they were bad, so I started to pick them out with tweezers. I got annoyed that it was taking awhile... so I just let them go. They never got out of control. I think a bunch died off. I still see a couple here and there, but they don't bother anything.

01/17/2010, 09:36 PM	#5
David Jr. Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 147	And the best part.. If they do get out of control, just buy a pair of harlequin shrimp! (Those guys are awesome.)