Uh Oh Starfish

[flyboy367]

ok so i just got a set of new pollops and noticed a day later a white smudge moving on my glass. turns out its 1/3 of a baby starfish. i have some snails and scallops in my tank will this thing grow up and kill my stuff?

 

[razer121]

ok so i just got a set of new pollops and noticed a day later a white smudge moving on my glass. turns out its 1/3 of a baby starfish. i have some snails and scallops in my tank will this thing grow up and kill my stuff?

hm no idea but can you get a picture?

 

[simonas]

it'll be an asternia

do a search some are good and some are bad as in coral eating

I;ve got a load which haven;t caused a problem so far I think. Peppermiont shrimps eat them I believe and I don;tknow why but they seem half grown with limbs missing, Mine are green

 

[-Nemo-]

1/3rd of a baby starfish? Was it missing legs?
Does it look like this? (+ or - legs)

If so, that would be an asterina star. They stay very small and are very very rarely a problem. Although they do reproduce rapidly, that's why they're always missing legs. They grow legs and then drop them and the leg turns into another starfish. I have probably hundreds of them.

 

[Morri]

Can be controlled with harlequin shrimps but these need a lot of starfish to keep alive and I mean a lot

 

[-Nemo-]

Yes, I wouldn't recommended a harlequin unless you are dedicated. I donate some asterinas every so often to a co-worker who has one.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

As said above they are probably asternia. These are mostly harmless and good CUC (apparently 10-15 years ago these where considered to be one of the best things to get in your tank).

Harlequin shrimp (not peppermint shrimp) will sometimes eat them (but not always) and harlequin shrimp need a lot of dedication to keep as they will only eat starfish (and will quickly eat everything in the tank and need you to supply starfish for them).

I have hundreds in both my tanks and they are completely fine. There is a species that eat certain corals but these are rare (don't think I have ever actually seen anyone say they had these).

 

[flyboy367]

yes it looks like that