What is this? Where did my coraline go?

dissboard007 · 12/30/2008, 07:25 PM

Over the past 6-8weeks I have noticed my Coraline recede at a rapid rate. My reef is is 7 years old and I have never had an issue. I do 25gal H20 changes bi weekly. Ca+ is currently 380 alk is 3.0.

My stonies still look great and are growing well?? I have noticed a rapid increase in these star fish. there are hundres of them. most are very small with irrwgular shaped legs.
Could this thing be eating my coraline algae?

rgrobe · 12/30/2008, 07:45 PM

They look like Asternia. The white ones are usually no problem but the darker ones can be considered pests. You can remove them with tweezers or suck them up with a turkey baster. If you have hundreds try using the suction of a canister filter with some fine media. There may also be other creatures that eat them as well. Others may help or Google Asternia Starfish.

dissboard007 · 12/30/2008, 07:57 PM

wow they sound like they could do some harm. At least I know whats going on now!!
Would interceptor kill there?

jmc357 · 12/30/2008, 07:58 PM

harliquin shrimp work well and fast i pick up a pair and i love them but when thay eat them all you would have to feed them some sort of starfish hope that helps here a pick of mine
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o ya i had 1000s of those star fish white ones eat coraline also

stylolvr · 12/30/2008, 08:13 PM

I believe they will also eat some types of coral tissue. The Harlequin shrimp works well, also I think my 6-line wrasse ate a couple when he was the only fish in the tank. Good luck!

Garage1217 · 12/30/2008, 08:19 PM

Your alk is 3dkh?

johnny313 · 12/30/2008, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Garage1217
Your alk is 3dkh?

It might be MEQ/L

Garage1217 · 12/30/2008, 11:15 PM

Hmmm. What is the mag level at..?

KyleO · 01/02/2009, 01:07 AM

I saw this thread a few days ago and have been dealing with the same Asternia problem for the last few months. Although they seem to decimate the few patches of green and brown algae I have (good thing), they also decimate the Coraline algae that used to be so prominent in my tank.

I have a sixline wrasse and he ignores these little buggers but I picked up a few little Harlequins today and within minutes of entering my tank they went to work! I started out by offering them a few I plucked off a rock with tweezers, which they took immediately and then started helping themselves. I have quite a number so I am hoping they will be good for at least a couple of months while they rid me of my infestation.

Just wanted to share that since I will finally be rid of these little Coraline eaters without having to spend hours and days plucking!!!

klepto · 01/02/2009, 01:31 AM

I found a few of these damn asterinas- took them out promptly- i dont want any sps hungry stars getting to plague proportions personally and as much as I love the Harlequins, I hate to take such beautiful animals off of the reef, especially considering how exclusive their diet is.

Garf has a good page on the Asterinas- www.garf.org/STAR/starfish.html

KyleO · 01/02/2009, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by klepto
I found a few of these damn asterinas- took them out promptly- i dont want any sps hungry stars getting to plague proportions personally and as much as I love the Harlequins, I hate to take such beautiful animals off of the reef, especially considering how exclusive their diet is.

Garf has a good page on the Asterinas- www.garf.org/STAR/starfish.html

My biggest worry when I first spotted the Asternias was that they were eventually going to make it to my SPS. I let them go for a few months and they did multiply slowly but surely. The only damage they actually did was to the Coraline.

As I agree that Harlequins are beautiful and should probably stay in their natural environment, that is a double-edged sword that is fodder for another, big, long thread.

As it stands, they are doing the job they are made for........

J.R.L. · 01/02/2009, 01:11 PM

ive witnessed asterina stars eat my zoanthid frags every time the lights went out for a week!

dissboard007 · 01/02/2009, 08:21 PM

a few hours catch.

AJO · 01/02/2009, 10:58 PM

I had alot of those little guys, they killed half my coraline algae in the tank, but never harmed any of the sps. I spent hours picking them out with tweezers. I think I got them all. The coraline algae is growing back now.

jmc357 · 01/04/2009, 05:48 PM

I understand where you guys are coming from you know with leaving some things in the ocean. Ive had my maitted pair of harlequins for a year now. Ive had hatchlings nothing but food for other fish lol there diet consist of chocolate chips 2 times a month. Does cost a little to keep them but are one of the most enjoyable parts of my tank. I will also be trying to breed sell or trade to my local fish store or any one looking to keep them. But its going to take some time to get things right. alot of delliquit things come from the ocean so if your not sure you can take care of it don't bother. i had thousands of those star fish eating everything and bothering alot of my corals it was bad. I tried pulling them out sifining them but they multiplied like crazy so i learned every thing i could and still am before i decided to go with harlequins.

jmc357 · 01/04/2009, 05:55 PM

Sorry i lied a little i love my whole tank its beautiful as are many that ive read and seen and thanks to my buddy josh for given me my first 10 gallon tank empty of coarse lol happy new year everyone

12/30/2008, 07:25 PM	#1
dissboard007 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 22	What is this? Where did my coraline go? Over the past 6-8weeks I have noticed my Coraline recede at a rapid rate. My reef is is 7 years old and I have never had an issue. I do 25gal H20 changes bi weekly. Ca+ is currently 380 alk is 3.0. My stonies still look great and are growing well?? I have noticed a rapid increase in these star fish. there are hundres of them. most are very small with irrwgular shaped legs. Could this thing be eating my coraline algae?

12/30/2008, 07:45 PM	#2
rgrobe Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: San Diego area Posts: 416	Asternia Starfish They look like Asternia. The white ones are usually no problem but the darker ones can be considered pests. You can remove them with tweezers or suck them up with a turkey baster. If you have hundreds try using the suction of a canister filter with some fine media. There may also be other creatures that eat them as well. Others may help or Google Asternia Starfish.

12/30/2008, 07:58 PM	#4
jmc357 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: stafford ct. Posts: 24	harliquin shi harliquin shrimp work well and fast i pick up a pair and i love them but when thay eat them all you would have to feed them some sort of starfish hope that helps here a pick of mine [IMG][/IMG] [IMG][/IMG] [IMG][/IMG] [IMG][/IMG] o ya i had 1000s of those star fish white ones eat coraline also

12/30/2008, 08:13 PM	#5
stylolvr Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Longwood, FL Posts: 734	I believe they will also eat some types of coral tissue. The Harlequin shrimp works well, also I think my 6-line wrasse ate a couple when he was the only fish in the tank. Good luck! __________________ Some call it a hobby, others an obsession. I just call it good, clean fun! Current Tank Info: Acquiring equipment for a Waterbox 20 Cube mixed reef

12/30/2008, 08:19 PM	#6
Garage1217 GET OFF MY LAWN Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Globally Posts: 5,863	Your alk is 3dkh? __________________ No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness ~ Aristotle If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? ~ Albert Einstein I'm just as bent as ever. Hellishly so ~ Captain Jack Sparrow Current Tank Info: Systems and goodies by Lee-Mar / Coralvue / Neptune Systems / Jager / Spectrapure / Cree / Meanwell + more!

12/30/2008, 07:57 PM	#3
dissboard007 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 22	wow they sound like they could do some harm. At least I know whats going on now!! Would interceptor kill there?

12/30/2008, 11:15 PM	#8
Garage1217 GET OFF MY LAWN Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Globally Posts: 5,863	Hmmm. What is the mag level at..? __________________ No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness ~ Aristotle If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? ~ Albert Einstein I'm just as bent as ever. Hellishly so ~ Captain Jack Sparrow Current Tank Info: Systems and goodies by Lee-Mar / Coralvue / Neptune Systems / Jager / Spectrapure / Cree / Meanwell + more!

01/02/2009, 01:07 AM	#9
KyleO Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brentwood, CA (SF Bay Area) Posts: 737	I saw this thread a few days ago and have been dealing with the same Asternia problem for the last few months. Although they seem to decimate the few patches of green and brown algae I have (good thing), they also decimate the Coraline algae that used to be so prominent in my tank. I have a sixline wrasse and he ignores these little buggers but I picked up a few little Harlequins today and within minutes of entering my tank they went to work! I started out by offering them a few I plucked off a rock with tweezers, which they took immediately and then started helping themselves. I have quite a number so I am hoping they will be good for at least a couple of months while they rid me of my infestation. Just wanted to share that since I will finally be rid of these little Coraline eaters without having to spend hours and days plucking!!! __________________ Enjoy every moment......you don't have nearly as many left as you think!!! Current Tank Info: 135g Frag tank w/ attached 30ga Cube and 50ga refugium

01/02/2009, 01:31 AM	#10
klepto Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 1,955	I found a few of these damn asterinas- took them out promptly- i dont want any sps hungry stars getting to plague proportions personally and as much as I love the Harlequins, I hate to take such beautiful animals off of the reef, especially considering how exclusive their diet is. Garf has a good page on the Asterinas- www.garf.org/STAR/starfish.html __________________ Everything you do can be done better from a place of relaxation. Stephen C. Paul

01/02/2009, 01:11 PM	#12
J.R.L. Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 529	ive witnessed asterina stars eat my zoanthid frags every time the lights went out for a week!

01/02/2009, 08:21 PM	#13
dissboard007 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 22	a few hours catch.

01/02/2009, 10:58 PM	#14
AJO Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: whittier Posts: 353	I had alot of those little guys, they killed half my coraline algae in the tank, but never harmed any of the sps. I spent hours picking them out with tweezers. I think I got them all. The coraline algae is growing back now.

01/04/2009, 05:48 PM	#15
jmc357 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: stafford ct. Posts: 24	I understand where you guys are coming from you know with leaving some things in the ocean. Ive had my maitted pair of harlequins for a year now. Ive had hatchlings nothing but food for other fish lol there diet consist of chocolate chips 2 times a month. Does cost a little to keep them but are one of the most enjoyable parts of my tank. I will also be trying to breed sell or trade to my local fish store or any one looking to keep them. But its going to take some time to get things right. alot of delliquit things come from the ocean so if your not sure you can take care of it don't bother. i had thousands of those star fish eating everything and bothering alot of my corals it was bad. I tried pulling them out sifining them but they multiplied like crazy so i learned every thing i could and still am before i decided to go with harlequins.

01/04/2009, 05:55 PM	#16
jmc357 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: stafford ct. Posts: 24	Sorry i lied a little i love my whole tank its beautiful as are many that ive read and seen and thanks to my buddy josh for given me my first 10 gallon tank empty of coarse lol happy new year everyone