Mini Star Fish

Olgranddad · 07/30/2011, 02:15 PM

I purchased some Cerith snails and now I see three very tiny star fish that are hanging on my glass. They are perfect fat stars about 1/2 the size of a penny. Are these desirable or pests? I have pulled two and they are sitting in a bucket.

Sisterlimonpot · 07/30/2011, 02:23 PM

sounds like astrina stars. if so they are harmless.

scarface70706 · 07/30/2011, 02:25 PM

pics?

Olgranddad · 07/30/2011, 02:31 PM

Unfortunately the wife took the camera to New York, so I can't put up pics. They seem to be dark on the top and sort of white on the bottom. They look like the very tiny versions of the star fish I used to see on the beach in the Bahamas.

cloak · 07/30/2011, 02:44 PM

If they are asterina stars, I would remove them. They can reproduce to plague like proportions and I think the jury is still out as far as them being safe or not goes. I've seen one too many threads where they were the suspect. Better safe than sorry.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-0...ture/index.php

b0bab0ey · 07/30/2011, 03:05 PM

My only issue with Astrina stars is that they eat Corraline algae. A few of them and you won't even notice this. But once they start reproducing and spreading everywhere, it can be quite annoying if you like that purple look to your rocks (like I do).

Sisterlimonpot · 07/30/2011, 03:33 PM

Mine eat thecoralline as well, notfast enough I'm afraid. I like the purple coralline as well but when I pay for the alk calc and mag that goes towards growing my corals i'd rather not allow them to rob it from the corals.

As for them being suspect towards eating coral. I think they have gotten a bad rap. When I first heard about them being a concern I spent every free moment trying to remove them from my tank one at a time. but when I presented my efforts at a local club meeting I was met with rhetoric with them saying my efforts were futile and not necessary.

google them and try to id them from the pictures you see. and if they are asterina stars you can either remove them or keep them... the choice is yours.

canrio · 07/30/2011, 06:41 PM

I've seen them in my tank and had no idea the could be a pest!

Angel*Fish · 07/30/2011, 07:33 PM

No cause for alarm. They are generally beneficial, which is not to say they won't eat something you don't want them to. That's true with quite a few animals that no one usually thinks to call a pest. In my opinion, removing them is hasty and unnecessary.

When one person posts that they have a plague of them, it would be shame if 20 people read that and rush to remove them. LOTS of hobbyists have no problems with them.

papagimp · 07/30/2011, 08:13 PM

I've purposely stocked them into my tank in the past. Never considered them to be a pest or noticed them being pestful.

T-dub · 07/30/2011, 08:59 PM

I have quite a few in my tank and have caught them eating zoas. No way I could get them all out so I just don't keep zoas any more.

Angel*Fish · 07/30/2011, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-dub

I have quite a few in my tank and have caught them eating zoas. No way I could get them all out so I just don't keep zoas any more.

What color were yours?

This is a perfect example of how sweeping statements aren't helpful. Personally, zoas don't appeal to me at all, so anything that specifically munches on them wouldn't be an issue in my tank.

07/30/2011, 02:15 PM	#1
Olgranddad Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Rochester, MI Posts: 131	Mini Star Fish I purchased some Cerith snails and now I see three very tiny star fish that are hanging on my glass. They are perfect fat stars about 1/2 the size of a penny. Are these desirable or pests? I have pulled two and they are sitting in a bucket. __________________ 90 Gal Reef - Bridgelux 120W LED, SCA-302 Skimmer, Koralia 1050, Refugium, 29 gal sump, unknown ret pump, 66lbs of Pukani Rock, 4 in sand bed, Spectrapure 75GPD RODI. Current parameters: Temp 78, Sal

07/30/2011, 02:23 PM	#2
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	sounds like astrina stars. if so they are harmless. __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

07/30/2011, 02:31 PM	#4
Olgranddad Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Rochester, MI Posts: 131	Unfortunately the wife took the camera to New York, so I can't put up pics. They seem to be dark on the top and sort of white on the bottom. They look like the very tiny versions of the star fish I used to see on the beach in the Bahamas. __________________ 90 Gal Reef - Bridgelux 120W LED, SCA-302 Skimmer, Koralia 1050, Refugium, 29 gal sump, unknown ret pump, 66lbs of Pukani Rock, 4 in sand bed, Spectrapure 75GPD RODI. Current parameters: Temp 78, Sal

07/30/2011, 03:33 PM	#7
Sisterlimonpot R.C. Fraternity President Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Litchfeild Park AZ Posts: 11,490 Blog Entries: 2	Mine eat thecoralline as well, notfast enough I'm afraid. I like the purple coralline as well but when I pay for the alk calc and mag that goes towards growing my corals i'd rather not allow them to rob it from the corals. As for them being suspect towards eating coral. I think they have gotten a bad rap. When I first heard about them being a concern I spent every free moment trying to remove them from my tank one at a time. but when I presented my efforts at a local club meeting I was met with rhetoric with them saying my efforts were futile and not necessary. google them and try to id them from the pictures you see. and if they are asterina stars you can either remove them or keep them... the choice is yours. __________________ Jimmy MASVC President Dishes are done man! Current Tank Info: 300 in progress

07/30/2011, 07:33 PM	#9
Angel*Fish cats and large squashes Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Houston Posts: 5,951 Blog Entries: 1	No cause for alarm. They are generally beneficial, which is not to say they won't eat something you don't want them to. That's true with quite a few animals that no one usually thinks to call a pest. In my opinion, removing them is hasty and unnecessary. When one person posts that they have a plague of them, it would be shame if 20 people read that and rush to remove them. LOTS of hobbyists have no problems with them. __________________ Marie So long, & thanks for all the fish! __________________________ Current Tank Info: Pairs: flame angels, cherub angels, Red Sea mimic blennies, yellow fin fairy wrasses, clowns, mandarins, blackcap basslets, shrimp gobies, damsels, dispar anthias, yellow clown gobies, threadfin cardinals --- Tanks: 100g reef, 2 x 30g refugiums

07/30/2011, 02:25 PM	#3
scarface70706 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 1,364	pics?

07/30/2011, 02:44 PM	#5
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	If they are asterina stars, I would remove them. They can reproduce to plague like proportions and I think the jury is still out as far as them being safe or not goes. I've seen one too many threads where they were the suspect. Better safe than sorry. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-0...ture/index.php

07/30/2011, 03:05 PM	#6
b0bab0ey Moved On Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 2,564	My only issue with Astrina stars is that they eat Corraline algae. A few of them and you won't even notice this. But once they start reproducing and spreading everywhere, it can be quite annoying if you like that purple look to your rocks (like I do).

07/30/2011, 06:41 PM	#8
canrio Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Alton, Illinois Posts: 87	I've seen them in my tank and had no idea the could be a pest!

07/30/2011, 08:13 PM	#10
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	I've purposely stocked them into my tank in the past. Never considered them to be a pest or noticed them being pestful. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

07/30/2011, 08:59 PM	#11
T-dub Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Marshall, MN Posts: 214	I have quite a few in my tank and have caught them eating zoas. No way I could get them all out so I just don't keep zoas any more.

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