Who said these were harmless?

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Having watched them eat holes in my Sarcophyton...and nearly all my yellow polyps are gone....And seen Matt's evidence...these things are definitely dangerous ... and reproduce like crazy.

I have a pile of about 200 carcases in planter next to tank, which are just the ones I have pulled off glass in last few weeks. Lord knows how many are spread throughout tank.

further...

From folks at G.A.R.F. ---

"...The first picture on this page shows starfish that reproduces at about the size of a dime. This starfish is capable of destroying large colonies of Acropora. If you notice that your Acropora colonies start to turn bright white at the base in a sharp edged pattern you may have an infestation of the starfish. It is important that you remove the coral and search under the base for these starfish. This damage looks different from bleaching because the damage is very localized and it increases each day. This damage can cause bacteria to infect the damaged areas and this can cause the lose of the entire head. Many of the starfish varieties prefer Stylophora and Pocillopora. It is important to watch for white patches at the base of these corals..."
"...Several people have argued that these starfish are harmless, but we have yet to find any that will not eat coral polyps. It is our recommendation that if you discover this type of starfish in your reef aquarium that you remove it as soon as possible. We have documented these type of starfish eating small polyp stony corals, Xenia , green stars, and several types of soft leather corals..."

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(mine are ones in center --- Matt?)

Fortunatly they offer as a solution the Harleguin shrimp...



an idea I have been toying with for a while...but is such a problem now and after reading above, I have ordered a pair from LFS - wish I done earlier.

Once the asterina are gone, guess I will be buying a chocolate chip star every month or so to keep the shrimp happy. --- apparently you can freeze one and feed them small bits at a time. (or else just leave in tank and watch them eat it alive ) - am going the freezer route.

Hopefully will work...will report.



PS - Sixline has quickly cleaned up nuisance snail problem. --- now that #$@! Cyno
(guess I should count myself lucky...no aptasia)

Lesson: QT all LR and imported corals!

 

again as I said in other statements about Asterina sp. . Asterina as s SPECIES are not all bad. Some of the kinds do eat corals, not all. Asterina's get up like 3 foot across (some kinds do). Some are harmless, some we destroy a reef tank. Thats why as a general rule, I tell people its better to be safe then sorry, when it comes to asterina sp. as a whole.

I watched a show on discovery channel awhile that showed one with 10 tentacles, eating brittle starfish. Some are carnivores some are herbivores and some are omnivores.

 

are harlerquien shrimp pretty tame are they compatible with skunk cleaners and everything else what is any enemy to it and what is it not compatible with

 

It's hit or miss using harlequin shrimp to eradicate asterina. Mine never ate them and I've only read a few accounts of others having success. Be prepared to have to buy additional starfish for them to eat if you notice that they're not going after the asterina. Otherwise, they are generally passive towards other shrimp but if you get a mated pair, they will defend their territory.

 

Apparently you have to "teach" them to eat the little buggers...



"...When we first introduced Harlequin shrimp to a new reef tank we feed it starfish with tweezers for several weeks..." - GARF

 

Well that explains it...I'm a terrible teacher

 

I taught my fishies to eat from my hand. Or is that training? Anyways, back at the fish store I worked at, We had a clown trigger I had were I could hand feed it. We sold ghost shrimp as feeders, and I could hold them by the head and it would come up and gently take it from my hand.

 

Christmas wrasse love asterinas.

 

Does anyone have designs of a QT?? I dont quite know what to use?

 

anything can be used as a QT. Ive used those plastic tubs you can buy anywhere. I think the last one was a 20 quart tub, and a small HOB filter.