Is there anything that can help get rid of Baby starfish

[the_fish_man]

Ok so I have a huge population of the little baby starfish in my tank and I want to keep them in there but they eat corals and they are extremely attrected to my Green star polyps One will go on one of them and poof 10 min later it is gone and on to another I have been currently picking them off But I was wondering if there is something that kills them?
Thanks

 

[HN1]

Google "asterina predators".

 

[melosu58]

Are you sure they are eating the corals? I have never had any problem with them and I have many.

 

[mr_X]

are these the ones that look like brittle stars? if so, they are definitely not eating the corals. they are just using them as hiding places.
if these are asterinas that are definitely eating coral, then you can buy a harlequin shrimp. this shrimp will eat them, but it must have a steady diet of starfish. this is the only thing on the menu for the harlequin shrimp. after the starfish are gone, you'll have to either get rid of it, or buy it starfish to eat.
i would only suggest a harlequin shrimp if you have a serious infestation of starfish, like this 40 breeder i used to have-

 

[melosu58]

Man Doug. That looks like my tank with all of them there. Have you ever had a problem with them messing with your corals?

 

[mr_X]

not those in that tank, but i did have a problem at the gym around the corner. they have a 150 in wall reef. i used a harlequin shrimp and he keeps the population in check, but hasn't run out of food yet (been about 8 months)
they were fine for about 1.5 years, then all of the sudden, they got carnivorous on zoas and palys. wiped out a softball sized colony in a short time. you could see when you remove the starfish from the single polyps a little bite mark.

 

[HN1]

What color are they at the gym? I've heard mixed stuff about the "tan ones will eat corals, the white ones won't, etc.

 

[mr_X]

they are all different colors, and assorted leg count . honestly, i don't think color or the amount of legs has anything to do with it, contrary to popular theory. i just think sometimes they simply turn carnivore.

 

[the_fish_man]

Sorry I have not been replying no they are not brittle starfish although I do have some they are so cute. But ya I actually did a little expeirement and cut of one of my gsp and plucked of a starfish and put it in a jar the next day the gsp was gone. So it might just be the gsp but still

 

[cmor1701d]

There are hundreds of species of asterina stars. Some are predators, most are not. If you have the predator type getting a harlequin shrimp may be your best track, but try to have an exit strategy for when it runs out of food. Ask the lfs if they will take it back on trade.

 

[mr_X]

but how then do you explain the year and a half that the asterinas were in the gym tank and abstaining?

 

[cmor1701d]

Mutation?
Lack of normal food?
Honestly Doug, I can't explain it. From the research I did it appears that most species are totally reef safe, and a few are not.
Was anything added to the tank during that time that could have introduced a new species?
It also appears that the population rises and falls in most tanks. I've seen hundreds in my tank for short periods, but usually the population is between 10 and 50 (that I can see and count).

 

[Jaybird]

It`s funny how those asterinas can cycle. I used to have a fair number in my tank and sump but I haven`t seen a single one is about six months. They just disappeared.

Bad luck with them starting to eat corals. At least harlequin shrimp are an option to controlling them.

 

[mr_X]

and i love the harlequin shrimp also...and so does all of the customers that see him in the tank.
cmor- no. nothing was added, and the population steadily rose for 1.5 years until one day i saw them on the zoas and a few polyps were closed up. then more and more...i started knocking them off to see the bite/suck marks.
i also had massive amounts of them in my home system and they never touched a thing. btw, i believe they were originally introduced via rock and corals from my home system.
i started the tank with 150 pounds of kaelini rock that was drop shipped, but it's just more logical that it came from my starfish colony.

 

[cabezon]

gee, send me some of your GSP eating stars.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

gee, send me some of your GSP eating stars.

LOL... was wondering when someone might suggest a business opportunity there! Seems like most folks that keep GSP long enough wish they had a supply of these little guys you have!