Critter on live rock

[Wazz72]

My tank has been up about a week and a half. After putting my living rock in a week back i noticed a small blue/purple starfish on the rocks. He seems to be doing fine and is moving about the tank. Is he a good starfish or a bad one?
Also Something that looked like an anemone was moving about the tank quite fast, and moving just under the waterline. Its the transparent thing on the picture. Sorry about the quality of that on, I had to stick the camera behind the tank to take it? Anyone have any Ideas what they may be?

 

[thincat]

The picture is very small. Hard to tell. it looks like a blue linckia starfish. Get a larger picture or a closeup so we can Id It better.

 

[roka64]

I agree, a bigger more clear pic would help. THe other looks like an asternia star.

 

[dkpate]

I don't have any input as to what they are, but they sure are cute!!!

 

[factorboa]

we found this critter or coral life on our life rock. could anyone tell us wat it is and if its bad the best way of getting rid of it. if its good wat is it and wat does it do?

 

[Sadielynn]

1st 2 pics astrenia stars some say keep em good janitors ... I pull any I see out since they tend to munch on my coraline (which I do not have a ton of yet ) they also tend to irritate/munch on zoas
the last pic is an aptasi use kalk paste or joes juice to nuke .. will sting corals and get out of hand .. It is hit or miss but sometimes peppermint shrimp will eat them

 

[match55]

boiled HOT FW can take down aip as well, but might need to jet them couple times. COOK THEM!!!

 

[Lynae]

Your starfish is adorable!
Even your flowery looking coral is cute...
Whatever they may be!

 

[factorboa]

thank you very much, i thought it mite be i will sort that out straight away, also havent got a picture of it and i havent seen hom for 2 days but have u ever seen a worm which is purple and it was going along the sand with a white colar 3/4 up his body is he good or bad?, boil it that would kill the live rock?

 

[joy13]

See if any of these worms might be it Worm Hitch Hikers there is a lot of hitchhikers that is good to have in the tank so do some research before you boil your rock.

 

[factorboa]

ok i just havechecked that out but it must be a unknown species then lol,Is that the best way of getting rid of it boil your rock or would pepermint shrimp sort it out?

 

[factorboa]

if i can get a pic of the worm i will, i know alot of the other other worms i have gd 1s

 

[Wazz72]

Have we got this thread confused? I assume you were on about the peppermint shrimp to get rid of the aptasi not whatever is on the other persons rock. I couldnt see anything on it myself, just a couple of fingers.
My thanks to everyone that helped me.

 

[thincat]

wazz72, On a closer look I don't think it's a blue linckia starfish,Linckia laevigata, because the body is not round enough. It may just be the picture though, Still a great hitchhiker.
Thank you for the neat pictures...

 

[Sadielynn]

You do NOT actually boil the rock You need to boil some water use a meat tenderizer needle or syringe and inject it in to the aptasia or what ever you are trying to nuke... The meat tenderizers are around 5 bucks and you do NOT need a perscription ...

 

[factorboa]

can anyone tell me if this crab is a good or bad one. its furry.

 

[thincat]

In general, furry crabs are bad, double so if they have pointed claws.

 

[factorboa]

Thank u very much i will exit that crab but i did put pictures up lol

 

[brian242pa]

the 3rd pic u posted showed me that the star fish has 2 long legs and 5 legs that were small and this isn't reef safe it will eat many of your corals get it out of your tank if you can and if the legs started to become even get it out emidietly because it is about to split

 

[Jaybird]

The meat tenderizers are around 5 bucks and you do NOT need a perscription ...

A prescription? Pffftt! Just walk down a dark alley and pick one up for free Just kidding. Don't do that!


third pic looks like asternia. I have them an haven't had a problem with them, but some people claim that they've eaten soft corals. Hasn't happened in my tank, but not to say that it can't happen. Never seen anything like the blue one.

The other pic of the "coral" on the live rock looks like a good size aiptasia. If the rock doesn't have anything else on it, and you have the space to move it about, put it upside down in the sand so that it doesn't get any light or water current...pretty much burried in the sand....and leave it like that for a while. About three weeks. The aiptasia should die on it's own.