What the heck is this?
- Thread starter triggaluv
- Start date
promisetbg
Active Member
It looks like a stomatella snail to me. They come in as hitchikers.
poniegirl
Active Member
I had a couple of them volunteer, as well. One looks soft, like yours, but brown and the other has a shell looking thing. The shell is flat doesn't even cover half of him.
Last night I was thinning caulerpa and watched him cruise under the tips of my green bubble tip anemone. I thought, well that'll be his last mistake. No harm done, though. They look a bit hairy and I wonder if that is some great protection.
I also have about 20 juvenile seastars that must have come as volunteers. I have never purchased one!
Last night I was thinning caulerpa and watched him cruise under the tips of my green bubble tip anemone. I thought, well that'll be his last mistake. No harm done, though. They look a bit hairy and I wonder if that is some great protection.
I also have about 20 juvenile seastars that must have come as volunteers. I have never purchased one!
zman1
Active Member
Are you sure they are not Brittle Stars? I have a bunch of these and are typically no larger than 3/4 of an inch. I forget the name, Ophiura has indicated what they are before on someone elses thread. Can you get a picture of them?
Attached is a very horrible picture of one - Sorry for the quality
Attached is a very horrible picture of one - Sorry for the quality
zman1
Active Member
Have you tried looking at these two threads:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/163871/hitchhiker-identifications
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/163703/hitchhiker-identifications
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/163871/hitchhiker-identifications
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/163703/hitchhiker-identifications
bang guy
Moderator
Ophiura once told me that they pretty much eat what's in front of them. So, Whatever you find it on, that's probably what it's eating.
I have hundreds but I've never seen them on a coral. There are species that can eat coral though.
If it were me I'd just enjoy them unless you see them on something you don't want eaten.
I have hundreds but I've never seen them on a coral. There are species that can eat coral though.
If it were me I'd just enjoy them unless you see them on something you don't want eaten.
ophiura
Active Member
IMO most species of Asterina are prefectly harmless....and I would say that is the experience of the majority of people keeping tanks who have them (many many many people). I STRONGLY disagree with the statement to remove them. Very few are bad, and it is wasted effort at best...because it is virtually impossible to remove them.
Most will just eat bacterial/algal films, which is why they are commonly on rock and glass. Few will eat coralline algae - but realistically this should regrow....and even fewer, IMO, eat SPS or soft corals. I have never had issues with them eating zoos, personally. Like many animals, they are often unfairly implicated in losses.
Just enjoy unless you see actual positive signs of trouble. But you would be an exception if you did, IMO.
Asterina stars tend to have asymetrical arms and somewhere between 5 and 8. They reproduce easily in tanks. They will not get much larger than a dime or nickel.
Most will just eat bacterial/algal films, which is why they are commonly on rock and glass. Few will eat coralline algae - but realistically this should regrow....and even fewer, IMO, eat SPS or soft corals. I have never had issues with them eating zoos, personally. Like many animals, they are often unfairly implicated in losses.
Just enjoy unless you see actual positive signs of trouble. But you would be an exception if you did, IMO.
Asterina stars tend to have asymetrical arms and somewhere between 5 and 8. They reproduce easily in tanks. They will not get much larger than a dime or nickel.