purple sea star always on my xenia colony, is it ok?

[hellspawn]

I find my purple sea star on my xenia colony about once a day or every other day, and for the last month my xenia has not fully extended, or the polyps have shrunk. Is the sea sar damaging my xenia?

 

[bigarn]

I'd say it's a good possibility.

 

[royal gang]

 

[ophiura]

Is it purple with orave tube feet? This, Tamaria stria has now and then been proposed to eat things like mushroom corals.
How big is your tank?
What are your specific water parameters?
They will also likely eat dying things, so do try and rule this out. In addition, I wouldn't put it past them in tanks without enough LR to do a whole lot of things to avoid starvation.

 

[bellanavis]

I would post a picture, if you can, so ophiura can identify it.