Found 5 star fish

Reefer Madness · 12-24-2005, 09:45 AM

i was looking at my tank last night with the moon lights and i found 5 very small star fish!!!.

. about the size of a penny fully extended.. i new i had one small starfish i saw a month ago but now i spoted 5 all at once all where hanging out the side of the rock looking for food.. i bought a large star fish about 2 months ago ... i dont know if it had offspring or if they just can from the live rock which i have had for about 6 months .. i just wanted to know what should i do to feed these new star fish..and keep them healthy so they can grow to be adults?? does anyone know how fast they grow?? i have flake blend that i have been feeding my clown fish i think the live of the left overs but i am not sure..

geologeek · 12-24-2005, 10:14 AM

unless you can target feed you will only be able to watch on and see nature do her part, i had about five six months back but dont see them anymore...they may be gone or still there i dont know! you will be amazed what comes out of the live rock over time....i have just had a major population boom of tiny feather dusters (thousands) and now there are tiny shrimp like things that float arround the water column an hour after lights out!

as long as your not underfeeding the system they should find all the food they need...just dont leave too much food lying around as there will be problems then, not only with water parameters, but as happened with me, bristle worms took over the floor so much so i could have opened a bait shop!

levi

rickzter · 12-24-2005, 12:01 PM

Be careful, some star fish are pests and will be a major problem. As with starfish, most of them, I think all, are carnivorous and might nip away at your corals. mannyhernz found a couple of small starfish... well, they started eating away his corraline algae.

Reefer Madness · 12-24-2005, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickzter

Be careful, some star fish are pests and will be a major problem. As with starfish, most of them, I think all, are carnivorous and might nip away at your corals. mannyhernz found a couple of small starfish... well, they started eating away his corraline algae.

how would i be able to tell the diffrence

Diver_1298 · 12-24-2005, 01:18 PM

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/asterinafaqs.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seastaridfaqs.htm
Not all stars are bad. Just watch them and see if you can identify them.
Jim

Reefer Madness · 12-31-2005, 10:52 AM

they look nothing like any of those

ReefBuilderNJ · 12-31-2005, 02:20 PM

i had a population boom of asternia stars so i got two harliquin shrimp and they control those pests.