Starfish

[Stlrockguy]

How can you tell the bad ones from the ok ones

 

[Stlrockguy]

I bought a coral today that come on a nice sized piece of live rock. Came with a few of these and micro brittle star fish.

 

[dragonfisher33]

How can you tell the bad ones from the ok ones

can you be more specific about the particular starfish you're referring to? typically, the one with crazy colors (not a solid color but ones with more than one color) are usually not reef safe

 

[Stlrockguy]

I posted a pic of it

 

[mr_X]

You cannot tell the bad ones from the ok ones because they all have the potential to be bad or ok. It's just something that they "decide" at some point.

 

[Stlrockguy]

Basically white with a brown strip running down the arms

 

[dragonfisher33]

I posted a pic of it

Sorry, when I replied there's only one post. Thats asternia statfish, totally (or at 90percent)harmless

 

[Stlrockguy]

Ok Thanks Doug. Just something I got to keep an eye on then

 

[Stlrockguy]

Sorry, when I replied there's only one post. Thats asternia statfish, totally (or at 90percent)harmless

Thanks. This rock is covered in them.

 

[mr_X]

Ok Thanks Doug. Just something I got to keep an eye on then

Yes. They may never misbehave, but then again, they may turn into soft coral eaters over night. It has nothing to do with color, or the amount of legs or anything like that IME.

 

[Stlrockguy]

And you have a lot of experience

 

[Pepsi]

I think mr X is probably one of the most knowledgable on here. I read that asterina stars breed like crazy, so I would keep an eye on them. I wish I had some though, I bought a Linckia star and it appears they like to eat asterinas!

 

[Stlrockguy]

They'll have plenty of room. If they get to bad I'll just borrow a fish to eat them

 

[mr_X]

I think mr X is probably one of the most knowledgable on here.

Na...I just like to talk

 

[melosu58]

Doug is the best here at AA. I had the same experience of my linknia star would chow down on my asternia stars. He really has put a dent in the population.

 

[Stlrockguy]

I agree Doug knows his stuff and is always helpful

 

[Pepsi]

So with an absence of asterina stars, what would you recommend I feed the Linckia?

 

[dragonfisher33]

So with an absence of asterina stars, what would you recommend I feed the Linckia?

place raw shrimps, clams right underneath the linckia. but in general starfish needs lot of micro-fauna in a reef for the long term, also the linckia should eat off the debris and scavenge around the tank

 

[Pepsi]

I'm getting some copepods tomorrow, will the starfish eat them?

 

[mr_X]

I'm getting some copepods tomorrow, will the starfish eat them?

It won't be able to catch them.