Hitchhiker starfish--What Next?

[monicaswizzle]

OK Friends--I FINALLY (6 months after set up) added some livestock to my reef tank to be. So far I have 6 corals and two clams in my 75 gallon, DSB tank with a 20 gallon sump. Most of the liverock is "home made", with several pounds of wild liverock to "seed" the home made stuff with coraline algae and other microfauna.

So, I am pleased to see that somewhere along the way I picked up a juvenile starfish. Right now it is less than 1/2 inch across. Fun because I like starfish. Not good in the long run because I understand starfish will eat clams. I assume that such a small starfish isn't a threat right now. (I have one crocea clam that is a good three inches across and one maxima clam that is just under 2 inches.) So, here are my questions:

1) How big can I let the starfish get before I need to worry about my clams?

2) Once I remove the starfish, would it do well in my 20 gallon sump, or should I take it in to the LFS?

3) I assume that the starfish can scavange what it needs, but should I be feeding it anything? If so, what and how?

That's about it, other than this is FUN and I did "finally" become a supporting member of RC. I figured once I added livestock the free ride is over.

Cheers and thanks!

[CrystalAZ]

1) How big can I let the starfish get before I need to worry about my clams?

It may be an asterina star, in which case, it won't get much bigger. Search in the photo gallery for ASTERINA and see if that is what you have. In that case, they are generally good - there are a couple of species that eat corals but they are rare compared to the good ones.
Oh, and all stars don't eat clams. I wouldn't worry about removing it unless you catch it in the act of bad behavior.

2) Once I remove the starfish, would it do well in my 20 gallon sump, or should I take it in to the LFS?
If it is an asterina, they do well in the sump - but no reason to put it there unless you want to.

3) I assume that the starfish can scavange what it needs, but should I be feeding it anything? If so, what and how

Depends on the type of star. If it is an asterina, they graze algae. You don't have to do anything.

Crystal

[Paintbug]

chances are it is either an asterina or a mini bristle starfish. either way they dont bother anything and wont get big at all. asterinas stay about dime size, mini bristles 1-2". i have both and neither have bothered anything, but i dont have a clam

[Mr.Nudibranch]

don't sweat it too much

[monicaswizzle]

Thanks everyone. Of course now that I looked at the pictures, I have no idea where it is in my tank, but the Asterina photos looked close enough that I will assume that until further evidence to the contrary. There are so many fascinating things living in my tank. It will probably take years to figure out what many of them are.

Ms. Swiz