being overtaken by white starfish!

[Dr.Nate]

Well, I've had my tank up and running for almost two years now I guess, but this is a new problem. Tiny white mal-shaped starfish are everywhere--especially on the glass. They fall off when I clean the glas but several hours later they're all over it again.

And the weird thing is that I haven't added anything to my tank for the last several months.

Any thoughts?

 

[kansei]

Would these be the stars
http://www.fantasyreef.com/database/index.php?p=getitem&db_id=1&item_id=15

 

[Innovator]

Although they can be beneficial in small numbers, population explosions can wreak havoc on corals, macro's etc...

 

[melosu58]

More than likely they are the ones that Kansei showed you. I have hundreds in my tank and they never have been a problem. I give them away to people and they have never had a problem either. They are good glass cleaners. IMO they are reef safe even though there are some types that are not but they are rare.

 

[Dr.Nate]

You know, looking at the picture--mine look flatter and not as chubby, and whiter too. But it's got to be the same things.

Thanks for the help.

I am a little worried now about the coral nipping, however

 

[melosu58]

I dont think you have anything to worry about. Mine are white and not as brown as the picture one and I have no problem what so ever. I dont think you will either. The one that eats corals is very rare.

 

[Innovator]

Just make sure you keep an eye on their populations. As with anything in this world, once their resources are used up they move onto other things

 

[Frogspawn]

how did you get them? and what do they eat? i would think they would eat the alage like other star fish.

 

[melosu58]

That`s what mine do frogspawn. In the morning I`ll have many on the glass eating the trash on the back or side glass. Here is a pic of them on the glass.

 

[ezy33]

I have the same stars they started about 2 month ago. I moved 1 over to my nano to see if it will populate that tank too.

 

[chase33]

I was going to pose the same question as last week I discovered one on the glass of my tank. It is much much smaller than those in melosu58's tank. It's diameter is at most 1/8 of an inch. It is so small that the legs haven't grown out yet. Looking closely you can see the veins (I guess that is what they are) where the six legs will be. Though I never see it moving I know it does move around as I notice it in different places. I thought I lost it yesterday. When I arrived home from work it couldn't be found. A few hours later it was back on the glass. The Star and a very small clam were the two new finds over the last week. As it grows I'll get a picture. I tried taking one last night but it is too small to see.

 

[AquaReefer]

They are called asterina starfish. I used to have the same problem. They just took over. They reproduce by dropping of a leg that eventually grows into a full starfish. Mine started eating my coraline algae and were always on my zoanthids, keeping them closed. They were fine in small numbers. Once they got over the 100s I had to do something.

I got 2 Harlequin Shrimp that cleaned them up. I still have a couple left but they are only in my overflows, sump and fug. If you do go with the harlequin shrimp they only eat starfish. So once the asterinas are gone you will need to feed them a choc chip starfish once a month. Just my .02

Asternia Star

Harlequin shrimp

 

[AquaReefer]

how did you get them? and what do they eat? i would think they would eat the alage like other star fish.

They hitchhike, usually on coral or live rock. They will eat anything they want. Not all starfish are herbivores. There are also different species of asterinas. Like stated above once they eat everything thats currently being eaten, they will move on to something different. Like my zoanthids.

 

[melosu58]

I leave my back and side glass dirty with diatoms that the these stars eat. Every morning they are on the glass eating it. I have never had them mess with my corals or Zoo`s. I`ve had them for about 5 yrs now. That`s a pretty expensive dinner for your shrimp. CC stars are about 20 dollars around here.