Bifferwine
I am a girl
I don't even think they eat coralline. I don't really see them much on my rocks. Mostly the glass.
baby starfish EXPLOSION??
- Thread starter meshman10
- Start date
meshman10
"YA CANT FIX STUPID"
+1 biff,I will post some pics today after work, if dip my rock's in a fresh water bath how long can the rock stay in without affecting the rock itself?
sen5241b
Reef enthusiast
I've picked most of asterina ot with tweezers before they got bad. They will eat coralline.
yote
In Memoriam
IF I was gonna dip my rock in fresh water,it wouldnt be but about a 2 second dip.
Theres just to much good stuff on and in the rock that I wouldnt be willing to kill.
Theres just to much good stuff on and in the rock that I wouldnt be willing to kill.
dcantucson
Reef pro
I think the poor little fellows have just gotten a lot of bad press.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Yeah just a quick dunk. Not a soak. Dunk it in the water and shake it so they fall off.
meshman10
"YA CANT FIX STUPID"
so, should I just use salt water then??
VAreef
Reefing newb
I don't think they eat corraline but I had one come in on some Zoo's and they didn't do well until I removed him. I let him stay in there a few days and 1 by 1 about 4-5 zoo polyps closed up and never reopened. Once I plucked him out that stopped and the zoos did well. He was never on the glass though that one never left that rock frag.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
No, the saltwater won't bother them enough to make them let go.
Melosu58
Reef enthusiast
My thoughts exactly.
meshman10
"YA CANT FIX STUPID"
well, hmm,you should look at these pic's then. the 1st pic is on the front of my 55 the 2nd pic is of the back of the tank and the 3rd is after I shook off a rock or 2 before I transfered them..those white line's on the bottom of the bucket are starfish track's:frustrat:
Attachments
meshman10
"YA CANT FIX STUPID"
OMG biff, I really do think they are eating the coraline.. I've seen more tonight then ever and I just caught my harliquin pealing one off the glass so he figured it out..think I'm gonna get 2 more, I don't think he can't keep up.. GODDDDDDD GRRRRRR..I so don't want them in the 90..................................*(*(*^&*&*%^$#
Bifferwine
I am a girl
I'm sorry! By all means, get yourself some harlequins!
yote
In Memoriam
Now thats a bunch of lil stars.:shock:
When I firsted started in this hobby a couple of years ago,you hardly ever heard of anybody having trouble with asterinas.Now it seems like EVERYBODY has them.
When I firsted started in this hobby a couple of years ago,you hardly ever heard of anybody having trouble with asterinas.Now it seems like EVERYBODY has them.
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
Those are for sure asternia stars. Yes, they DO eat coraline. Every place they sit and munch you will see a white spot on the pink coraline where they were hanging out to eat.
Scan your rocks, if you see them on the glass, I guarantee they are crawling on every rock in the tank. But they are hard to spot. They are usually gray/white and they are usually less than 1/4" across - they blend right in with the rocks - so you have to look pretty hard. They are there.
I have sucked out thousands of them with a turkey baster and dumped them down the garbage disposal with hot water. :chair:
It might take a year, but I think you can significantly reduce their population by sucking them out daily.
Scan your rocks, if you see them on the glass, I guarantee they are crawling on every rock in the tank. But they are hard to spot. They are usually gray/white and they are usually less than 1/4" across - they blend right in with the rocks - so you have to look pretty hard. They are there.
I have sucked out thousands of them with a turkey baster and dumped them down the garbage disposal with hot water. :chair:
It might take a year, but I think you can significantly reduce their population by sucking them out daily.
meshman10
"YA CANT FIX STUPID"
OHHHH!!!! there on the rock allright and them some, I bet I got a thousand in the 55 now. transfered 3 medium rocks to the 90 and now I see them on the sand and pic them off the glass daily. gonna buy 2 more HARLIQUIN'S, 1 to help the 1 I already have in the 55 and 1 to put in the 90.I know he's figured it out because I saw him peal 1 off the glass last night.this is now a MISSION!!!!!!:helm2::helm2::helm2::helm2:
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
Saddle Up!!
We're gonna be doin' one thang and one thang only --- killin' starfish! :fechten2:
We're gonna be doin' one thang and one thang only --- killin' starfish! :fechten2:
PRC
Stop Quoting Me!
Mesh,
Just found this. I've got asterinas too.
There is some controversy over the Asterina species sea stars, which can multiply to great numbers in reef aquariums. Most aquarists report no problems with them, but some claim that they eat SPS corals and make every effort to remove them. There are more than one species of Asterina and it's speculated that some species may be harmful. It's also speculated that the Asterina sea stars will consume SPS corals once they reach a certain density. I happened to put a Nardoa species sea star into a small reef aquarium that contains a large population of Asterina sea stars. I discovered that the Nardoa sea star regularly consumed the Asterina sea stars. The Nardoa sea star san be a good biological control for those aquarists that want to reduce their population of Asterina sea stars.
IT ALSO MENTIONS THAT SOME MAY NOT BE REEF SAFE. SO CHECK IT OUT FIRST.
Just found this. I've got asterinas too.
There is some controversy over the Asterina species sea stars, which can multiply to great numbers in reef aquariums. Most aquarists report no problems with them, but some claim that they eat SPS corals and make every effort to remove them. There are more than one species of Asterina and it's speculated that some species may be harmful. It's also speculated that the Asterina sea stars will consume SPS corals once they reach a certain density. I happened to put a Nardoa species sea star into a small reef aquarium that contains a large population of Asterina sea stars. I discovered that the Nardoa sea star regularly consumed the Asterina sea stars. The Nardoa sea star san be a good biological control for those aquarists that want to reduce their population of Asterina sea stars.
IT ALSO MENTIONS THAT SOME MAY NOT BE REEF SAFE. SO CHECK IT OUT FIRST.
dcantucson
Reef pro
Is the Nardoa sea star also known as the Knobby Sea Star?
Tristan
Detritus
I agree with biff. this is a great opportunity to have harlequins! I would put them all in a fuge so you can give them to the harlequins when its feeding time.
