Worried about starfish eating corals

[kimf]

I just recieved a detritivore Kit from inlandaquatics.(com) In one bag are 6 star fish they call miniture stars, in another bag are 2-1/2 brittle stars.
I'm wondering how to tell if these are safe to put in my refugium. I read the infor at GARTH and now I'm afraid to introduce them even in the refugium. What if they flow into the tank?
<img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />

 

[biggdriver]

cant' really help you there..Describe the smaller stars, maybe that could help someone else answer..

 

[lettheirberock]

hey, i read that article at garf to. do they look like the same starfish that the garf people were talking about? i really hope that inlandaquatics isnt selling coral devouring stars in their kits!

 

[kimf]

The stars in the detritivor kit look just like the pictures on GARF web site. I did not put them in the refugium

 

[keitho]

well, they types of small sea stars you are referring to have been getting a bad rap lately because of that GARF article. well, as it turns out, there's really no way to tell if those stars are the SPS coral-eating variety or the other harmless stars that live in the sand without watching them and seeing if they do/don't eat your corals. i would hope that inlandaquatics COULD tell the difference and wouldn't sell the bad guys...but who knows?

 

[kimf]

I just don't want to take a chance. It sounds like they reproduce rapidly. Would hate to have so much die because of me.

 

[accurate]

i have a couple of starfish and they seem to be fine.
The ones ive always been warned off of are the chocolate chip. also any starfish that are thick.
The ones i have are serpent and brittle.

 

[txreefer]

I have had 4 star fish in my 75 gal - 2 chocolate chip, and 2 serpent. The chocolates tore up my corals - Devoured a mushroom, and almost totally ate a xenia. I got rid of them real fast. Hope that helps.

 

[txreefer]

I have had 4 star fish in my 75 gal - 2 chocolate chip, and 2 serpent. The chocolates tore up my corals - Devoured a mushroom, and almost totally ate a xenia. I got rid of them real fast - the chocolates that is. Hope that helps.

 

[jakob4001]

serpant stars,assuming they are serpant stars, are reef safe;most everywhere has them included for clean up crews; star fish are probably 2nd main area of invert debate just behind anemones; far as clasifying, food, behavior, safe/unsafe;
using "meaty foods" to test to see if they go after it does NOT determine whether they are carnivores or not; most star placed/suggested for clean up crew are scavengers & hence one reason for being included in cleaner pack & will eat almost any left over food it can obtain

 

[info_sponge]

from what I've been reading, here and abound. It seems that GREEN brittles will eat fish and maybe even nibble on corals (rare) but , the red serpent or ruby brittle seems to be good. I don't know why this one is more peaceable than the green, but it seems that way. Course there are exceptions. As far as the small ones, well you know what you're doing and imho i wouldn't put anything in there unless you can positively identify it.

 

[bigred]

I have 2 fish missing and I have a green brittle star. Never found any part of them. I never saw him eat them but he hide sometimes under one of my rocks.

 

[gabbys125reef]

I've always heard that the only starfish safe in a reef are the soft ones. No chocolate chip or those tan ones with the red spikes. I have serpent, brittle and burrowing starfish in my reef and they don't bother any of my corals. They do (I've heard) catch slow or sick fish and eat them, but that happens.
Good luck!
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