Starfish ID

kamasi83 · 04/22/2014, 07:25 PM

Hello everyone! I found a couple new starfish in the tank today and was wondering if anyone could identify them and are they ok with coral? They are about 1/2 inch long. There are also tons of little gray stars all over the rock that I'll try to get a picture of.

Thanks in advance!

scott3569 · 04/22/2014, 08:08 PM

rookie here, I am not sure what the name of them are, but I am almost sure that they are not good!!! there is a certain type of shrimp to get to get rid of them...I am sure someone will chime in and confirm this..

alb_56 · 04/22/2014, 08:09 PM

Asterina

kamasi83 · 04/22/2014, 08:43 PM

So I should be pulling these guys out?

Crooked Reef · 04/22/2014, 08:52 PM

99.9 percent of asterinas are fine. There are a handful of the species that can eat corals. Again most do not and are beneficial. They can get to plague proportions but I have had them in tanks for 12 years and never had an issue. Harlequin shrimp will eat them, but they only eat starfish. They will starve really quickly in your tank without a lot of money in supplemental feedings.

If you want to remove them just do it manually for now. Don't kill a $35 shrimp for just a handful of starfish.

scott3569 · 04/23/2014, 04:29 AM

Well, thats interesting every other thread I have seen on these starfish, every one has said get rid of them..but has never mentioned that most of the them are good..

So how do you tell the good ones from the bad ones??

on the other threads I have seen on these guys, they more of a black color..so is that how you tell??

Crooked Reef · 04/23/2014, 04:34 AM

To my knowledge you cant tell from looking at them. If they are eating your corals they are bad. If they are not, theyre good.

ReeferKimberly · 04/23/2014, 04:37 AM

I have never had a problem with them. They keep coralline algae on my walls down too. I suppose if you want your glass covered in it, some people do, then they are bad.

kamasi83 · 04/23/2014, 06:49 AM

Well since there's so many of the grey ones, and they are leaving the zoas alone for the time being, I'll just keep a close eye on them. If it becomes a problem I'll put some pics on here.

dmh41532 · 04/23/2014, 07:00 AM

I pull them out when I see them, they can quickly over run a tank. I've also seem some munching on zoas in my tank a while back(dark ones) I don't take a chance with them though, no matter what color, I pull them.

cloak · 04/23/2014, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kamasi83

So I should be pulling these guys out?

I would...

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

kamasi83 · 04/24/2014, 08:19 AM

Thanks for that article cloak. I've started pulling the stars just to be on the safe side.

04/22/2014, 07:25 PM	#1
kamasi83 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Chicagoland, IL Posts: 7	Starfish ID Hello everyone! I found a couple new starfish in the tank today and was wondering if anyone could identify them and are they ok with coral? They are about 1/2 inch long. There are also tons of little gray stars all over the rock that I'll try to get a picture of. Thanks in advance!

04/22/2014, 08:08 PM	#2
scott3569 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Middletown,VA Posts: 929	rookie here, I am not sure what the name of them are, but I am almost sure that they are not good!!! there is a certain type of shrimp to get to get rid of them...I am sure someone will chime in and confirm this.. __________________ I'm in a fishy situation!!! Current Tank Info: 56 gallon 30 x 18 x 22 with a 40gal sump, SCA 302 skimmer, 10 gal QT tank, a hydror 600 power head, 2 enhiem 150 heaters, 49#'s of dry rock, 12#'s of life rock, 40#'s of sand

04/22/2014, 08:52 PM	#5
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	99.9 percent of asterinas are fine. There are a handful of the species that can eat corals. Again most do not and are beneficial. They can get to plague proportions but I have had them in tanks for 12 years and never had an issue. Harlequin shrimp will eat them, but they only eat starfish. They will starve really quickly in your tank without a lot of money in supplemental feedings. If you want to remove them just do it manually for now. Don't kill a $35 shrimp for just a handful of starfish. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

04/23/2014, 04:29 AM	#6
scott3569 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Middletown,VA Posts: 929	Well, thats interesting every other thread I have seen on these starfish, every one has said get rid of them..but has never mentioned that most of the them are good.. So how do you tell the good ones from the bad ones?? on the other threads I have seen on these guys, they more of a black color..so is that how you tell?? __________________ I'm in a fishy situation!!! Current Tank Info: 56 gallon 30 x 18 x 22 with a 40gal sump, SCA 302 skimmer, 10 gal QT tank, a hydror 600 power head, 2 enhiem 150 heaters, 49#'s of dry rock, 12#'s of life rock, 40#'s of sand

04/23/2014, 04:34 AM	#7
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	To my knowledge you cant tell from looking at them. If they are eating your corals they are bad. If they are not, theyre good. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

04/22/2014, 08:09 PM	#3
alb_56 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Nebraska Posts: 781	Asterina

04/22/2014, 08:43 PM	#4
kamasi83 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Chicagoland, IL Posts: 7	So I should be pulling these guys out?

04/23/2014, 04:37 AM	#8
ReeferKimberly Marley & Me Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Roseville, California Posts: 1,452	I have never had a problem with them. They keep coralline algae on my walls down too. I suppose if you want your glass covered in it, some people do, then they are bad.

04/23/2014, 06:49 AM	#9
kamasi83 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Chicagoland, IL Posts: 7	Well since there's so many of the grey ones, and they are leaving the zoas alone for the time being, I'll just keep a close eye on them. If it becomes a problem I'll put some pics on here.

04/23/2014, 07:00 AM	#10
dmh41532 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Bellefontaine Ohio Posts: 771	I pull them out when I see them, they can quickly over run a tank. I've also seem some munching on zoas in my tank a while back(dark ones) I don't take a chance with them though, no matter what color, I pull them.

04/24/2014, 08:19 AM	#12
kamasi83 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Chicagoland, IL Posts: 7	Thanks for that article cloak. I've started pulling the stars just to be on the safe side.