Starfish outbreak!!! WTH?

[energizer28]

Over the past few weeks, I've noticed these tiny white starfish EVERYWHERE in my tank. I'm scraping them from the glass, I see them on rock.........There are too many to count. I was just recently told they eat coraline algae. I see a few rocks changing from a rich pink to white. Could these tiny little creatures really do this to rock? Since there are too many to pick off, what could I use to eat or kill these starfish? Please help!

 

[meowzer]

They are harmless asterina stars....if you think you have too many pick them out and throw them away.....
I leave all mine since they are actually a part of your clean up crew....the free kind LOL
If you find they are multiplying too quickly, you might want to look at your feeding ...they will multiply based on nutrients available to them

 

[bullitr]

Or if you want them gone get a harlequin shrimp
But when it's gone you have to feed the shrimp starfish or give it to someone else

 

[energizer28]

These asternia starfish are eating the coraline algae from my live rock. This is ticking me off

. If I got the Harlequin shrimp, would my brittle starfish be on the menu as well? Don't want anything to mess with him.

 

[btldreef]

Quote:
Originally Posted by energizer28 http:///forum/thread/383200/starfish-outbreak-wth#post_3351757
These asternia starfish are eating the coraline algae from my live rock. This is ticking me off

. If I got the Harlequin shrimp, would my brittle starfish be on the menu as well? Don't want anything to mess with him.
I have a million of them in my 155 and I agree, they DEFINITELY do eat coralline algae when there is enough of them. I have two harlequin shrimp in there and they are doing a decent job at keeping the count down. No, they do not eat the brittle starfish, at least they haven't touched my babies.

 

[custombuilt]

hi, just one question, would britle stars also harm giant clams because they eat thing like snails and small clams right?

 

[saxman]

It depends on the Asterina species...I had them eat the byssal organ from a maxima, which died. They didn't bother my sand dwelling Tridacnids however. That being said, they are generally not an issue.

 

[custombuilt]

so they wont eat it until it dies?

 

[saxman]

Mine was eaten, THEN it died...it hung on for about a week after that.

 

[saxman]

OK, that sentence was bass-ackwards:
Clam eaten, lived for a week, then died.
Sorry for the semi-double post, but thanks to the "improved" site, I can't edit posts or post pix.

 

[custombuilt]

oh okay so never get a brittle star even if its cool hehehe.....
thnks...
i think you can edit posts.....
somewhere bellow my letter "P" beside the report button
P

 

[mproctor4]

I've noticed that when the edit page comes up but won't let you change anything, if you hit edit a second time it then appears to work

 

[meowzer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by mproctor4 http:///forum/thread/383200/starfish-outbreak-wth#post_3382692
I've noticed that when the edit page comes up but won't let you change anything, if you hit edit a second time it then appears to work

or refresh the page....that seems to work for me

 

[1guydude]

i usually hit the right clicker and than for some reason the typer thing will pop up if u click again with the left clicker lol poc

 

[jerth6932]

If you have an anemone, feed the asterina stars to it..... cheap way to keep them feed... that's what happens to mine in my tank any ways!

 

[custombuilt]

i dont know if we have the same problem but some times what i do is click on the source button on the upper left then click on it again... @};-