Asterina Gibbosa

[sandfire]

I have found a tiny 6 legged star fish on my live rock.

It looks absoulety identical to this one: Asterina gibbosa, even same pale minty green colour with white fluff, but mine has a extra leg and is about 5mm:

http/marenostrum.org/buceo/apnea/portlli...%20gibbosa).JPG

Anyone know if its reef safe?

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Asterina are considered to be a pest because they reproduce extremely quickly and dont take long to get to plague like proportions. I dont know a greta deal about them to be honest so couldn't ID one (I only know about them from when I read up on harliquin shrimp as a potential food source).

 

[chrissaysyes]

They also have a tendency to munch on coralline. Harlequin shrimp will get rid of them pretty quickly but then you'll just have a starving harlequin on your hands. Manual removal is probably best.

 

[SkiFletch]

Remember, there are at least two if not three species of small starfish commonly labeled as "Asterina". I'm not sure on the taxonomy of these things, but aquarists report the different species eating one of three things: Coraline algae, non-calcerous algaes, and acropora. They are generally found on the surface of what they are eating so its easy to tell which one they have

 

[Lynden]

I have a single large one, translucent with red spots, about 1 cm in diameter. Saw him once, but will probably never see him again. The algae eating ones are benign or beneficial.

 

[sandfire]

I have named him Ickle Burt, he is always in the same area on live rock, where there is that tiny green/red algae growing. I was watching him last night weave in and out the green star's polyps he never touched the corals just appeared to be grazing on algae.

Thanks everyone.

 

[fishstick]

I watched an asterina sitting all today on a coralline covered bivalve. When it eventually moved there was a bare whitish patch on the shell exactly where the asterina had been. I hadn't bothered before but shall remove them in future.