Baby Starfish!!!!!

[dennish]

While doing a "search and rescue" for my (now deceased) Domino Damsel. I found a baby starfish on a piece of fake wood in my tank.
I just added a Bahama Stafish two weeks ago, so I don't know if it could be from him/her or possably a hitch hiker from one of my live rocks. It is about one half an inch around, or I guess a little over 1 cm. It has seven appendages, one of which is much larger than the others and two either side of that that are medium sized, then three very small ones "one the end". It is grayish-white in color. It is moving around quite well although I cant notice it move "while watching it" but if I look away for a few minutes, it has moved. It has now moved out of sight, but I think it is still on or around the fake wood. I don't have the digital camera home now, but I'll try to get a picture up on my website when/if I can get one.
If Clayton or another Marine Biologist or anyone with information can help inform me I would sure appreciate it. I can't seem to find much information on the internet about starfish. If you know of any good sites, or any good books I could get please let me know!!!
I have besides the Bahama Starfish (about 5-6"), a Yellow tail Damsel(1.75"), two (false) Clown Fish(2"), two scarlet hermits, one Blue legged zebra hermit, and (at least one that I know of) brown "unknown" crab (he came in on one of the liverock) hiding in my live rock (he is very hard to see- very shy) Should I worry about it getting munched if it stays in my main tank? I just today begain setting up a QT/Hospital tank but it has not been medicated yet at all so I could incubate in there for a while if neccesary. I'd like to raise it if possable but I don't know how likly this is.
Thanks,
-Dennis

 

[dennish]

He is moving around the tank. Today I found him climbing up the glass on the other side of the tank. The big starfish started to climb on/over top the baby. I don't know if this is good, so I moved the big one away to the other end of the tank. Do they nurture their young, or eat their young???
PLEASE REPLY if you can help!!!!
I am going to get some pictures today, they should be up on my web site by tomorrow.
-Dennis

 

[clayton]

I do not know the common name Bahama Starfish. Do you know the scientific?
Most starfish are fairly hardy and the vast majority are scavengers. Some are predatory carnivours, some omnivours and I would Imagine some strict herbivours. I would just leave him be if he has been in there for a while. Try searching the web with its scientific name or post it on the board.

 

[dennish]

Originally posted by clayton:
I do not know the common name Bahama Starfish. Do you know the scientific?

I do not know the Scientific name. Perhaps a desciption may help. It has 5 legs, is orange to burnt orange in color. Bumpy on top. It eats by expelling its stomach. It seems to mostly graze on the algee on the glass/rocks/etc. I have photos of both the big star fish, and the baby that I will put on my web site first thing in the morning. http://www.cbmoffice.org/personal/dennis1.htm
Perhaps that will help in an identification. The baby has been up on the side glass all day. Its moved around a little. Being on the glass I was able to get a better measurement at 5/8 inch/16mm. The big starfish is 4.5".
-Dennis
[This message has been edited by DennisH (edited 05-14-2000).]

 

[dennish]

The pictures are up. you can see them at http://www.cbmoffice.org/personal/dennis1.htm
Please help me identify the big star fish (Scientific name) and if the baby is from this starfish, of if it more likely came in on the live rock.
-Dennis

(aka pround daddy)
[This message has been edited by DennisH (edited 05-15-2000).]
[This message has been edited by DennisH (edited 05-15-2000).]

 

[kmr]

I can't remember the name of the starfish that sounds like. I read about a starfish on the net that multiplies by splitting in two. Thats why it's legs are different lenghs. I did read that it is harmful to SPS. I have removed two of them from my tank that hitched a ride on some Carribean rock. I am not a marine biologist but think this could help you anyway.

 

[kmr]

I looked at your site. I do believe that is something you might want to get rid of. Since you don't have any corals to worry about it's rate of multiplication would be my concern. I reformatted my hard disk and don't have a internet history going back far enough to find that site about them. Good luck.

 

[dennish]

Well, I'm not sure I'm ready to get rid of it yet. But if it can be established that it is harmful or begins to over populate, I will. Any ideas on its species?
Could it be from my big starfish, or is it definately different. Can you tell at this stage?
-Dennis

 

[clayton]

Hi Dennis, I believe this could be Pentaceraster mammillatus - the 'Common Knobbed Starfish'. This species can come in many different colour forms , background can be brown to green and the knobs white, yellow, orange, brown or black. This is a greedy feeder and like most of the Knobbly backed starfish, is omnivorous. It will happily eat algae, corals, molluscs and other sesile animals.
Check it up yourself to be sure but I think in the name of a reef tank it would have to go.

 

[stro71]

Ok first of all the SPS Eating Starfish cna be found on this website; http://www.garf.org/news27p2.html#tweezer
It is described as a "white with tiny blue spots on them". The one on this sight has 7 legs but Leroy and the rest of GARF have seen this type before and are asking for this specie for research. Hopefully this helps out.
Stro

 

[dennish]

Stro,Thanks!! The GARF newsletter you linked to is just what I was looking for. Well, I would have prefered some better news, but now I know what the "baby" star fish is, an Asterina anomala .
I suppose I should get rid of it before it proliferates and gets out of control. I don't have any coral now, except for what might be on the live rock I have, but I am getting a sense that if I don't eradicate it now, it may not be possable in the future should I decide to go with a reef tank.
-Dennis

 

[kmr]

GARF is the site I was thinking of.