Asterina Starfish, your thoughts?

[btldreef]

I have one (so there's probably more) 7 legged white Asterina Starfish. There's so many differing opinions on these little guys, so before I end it's life, I'm asking for your opinions. Good or bad? Has anyone personally experienced these guys eating their coral or is it all hype posted by complete reeftards?

 

[spanko]

I have a bunch. Have not seen them eating any coral and I do believe they are detritus and algae eaters. Each week at water change I siphon out whatever is on the glass, but I don't think they are really a problem.

 

[aquaknight]

Not sure I'd have a tank where at least one of my fish, wouldn't find them tasty

....

 

[mason]

I agree they are harmless. I purposely stock them in my micro tanks in droves because they are in scale with the size of my pico tanks. If they were harmful I would have seen. Anything above 5 arms is in the process of natural fission/division. it can take over a year per star

 

[meowzer]

I have bunches in my 54G....I will not remove them, because I believe they are good detrius eaters. I also have no reason to believe they are harming anything in my tank either.

 

[novahobbies]

Ditto to pretty much everything said above. I personally would leave them unless there were hundreds in the tank. If they become an eyesore, then you might want to consider thinning the herd, but otherwise I'd leave them where they are.

 

[ophiura]

Have quite a few without issue.

 

[btldreef]

Thanks. I was pretty sure that you guys would say they were fine. From everything I read, they seem fine. I've only seen one thus far but I'm sure there's more.
One more question. I have two sand sifting starfish (had them for over a year, they're fine, save the "They'll starve"/"They're not good for your tank" speeches please) both will live peacefully together, right?

 

[ophiura]

yes...
BTW, the reality is in most smallersystems sandsifter stars do starve, and you never know there are issues until the disintegrate. So save the "they're fine" for 18 months +

And maybe they will be, but it doesn't mean the speaches are wrong....

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3168354
yes...
BTW, the reality is in most smallersystems sandsifter stars do starve, and you never know there are issues until the disintegrate. So save the "they're fine" for 18 months +

And maybe they will be, but it doesn't mean the speaches are wrong....

Oh I know. I just didn't want people to go off on a tangent and lose the point of the thread, LOL. I know sand sifters in general are a tender subject with people in this hobby, and just don't want to get into that argument.

 

[cranberry]

One of my larger species eats the heck out of my coralline. Other than that I haven't witnessed any coral munching. A couple of suspicious moments, but nothing proven.