WARNING --- These are not good!

Had these little creatures showing up on my tank glass a couple of months ago...Thought to myself, way cool, am growing my own starfish...

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But recently noticed the edges of one of my finger leathers appeared to be getting chewed off...took a couple of days before I found one of these little buggers chowing down on the coral.

Hopefully have most of the rest picked out...Was only a few large ones, so I suspect something else keeps the population down when they are small...probably my mandarin who I have also suspected keeping my nusaince snail population under control also (by eating the itty bitty ones)

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damn I hope thse arent what I had come in on a rock the ones I have look kind of blueish

 

Not all asterina's are bad. Unforunately like a lot of critters, people don't realize that when someone says Asterina, they are being general. As you pointed out, Asterina Wega is a bad one. Asterina sp. as a whole, most are not bad, but unless you have a microscope and had some serious courses in marine biology, you will not be able to tell the difference inbetween the different species.

 

Question, does anyone know if these guys can eat established deep purple algae growth on rocks???

 

They are definite algae eaters... could be eating anything.

They like the algae on glass and that is where i mostly catch them

Omar

 

Can see I am going to have a real battle with these nasty SOBs.

Explains unkown yellow polyp die off of late, besides chewing up of finger leather.

Have pulled out a couple dozen last couple of nights which is best time find and catch them. God only knows how many in tank. Hopefully I will be able to eliminate most of the larger ones before they reproduce again.



OmarD

 

Ok...seemed to have rid myself of most of these for now. Have not discovered any for past couple of days.

Am now in market for a 6 line wrasse which one of my books says is ideal for keeping such creatures under control.

Should also help with the small snail infestation which I have been battling for over a year now.

FYI

OmarD