Large white star found

[clancaster23]

Just happened to be walking by and glanced at the side of my tank and found a rather large star crawling around. What kind is it and is it safe to have in the tank? It's about the size of a penny.

 

[Sakura2282]

I have no idea what kind of starfish is that, but looks really healthy. Hope you can find which kind it is.

 

[Marinne13]

might be a big astrea starfish

 

[kbuser92]

Are you thinking asterina? That was my guess, too, but I don't know that they usually get that big. At least I've never seen one that size....

 

[Marinne13]

Oops yep asterina...me either but that's my only guess

 

[clancaster23]

Oddly enough, it's still in that general area but it now has only three arms, not six! And it's on the glass now, not on the rock it was on.

 

[Salty B]

I had some dime sized asterinas that attacked softies. That one doesnt look the same as the ones I had though. I'll dig up some pics in a little bit. Maybe the 3 legged one is a different one. But they can drop off body parts that regenerate into new stars

 

[Salty B]

These were mine....

 

[clancaster23]

Just a warning to anyone who gets these in their tank, I believe they may be coral eaters. I know there's now more than one in my tank and I saw one on one of my blastos and it was shrunk up in places along the bottom where the star had been and looks like some of it was eaten, I pulled it out of the tank and removed the star and now if I see one, I'm taking it out.

 

[Sakura2282]

Just a warning to anyone who gets these in their tank, I believe they may be coral eaters. I know there's now more than one in my tank and I saw one on one of my blastos and it was shrunk up in places along the bottom where the star had been and looks like some of it was eaten, I pulled it out of the tank and removed the star and now if I see one, I'm taking it out.

Thanks for the warning. :)

 

[Salty B]

The big ones I had ate zoas and trees. The tiny pure white ones just seemed to like coraline. I had a severe infestation of them and got a harlequin shrimp to kill them. Sounds like you havent got that many so I would go with manual removal as you see them. Some people have them in their tanks with no issues at all...luck of the draw I guess.

 

[Aquarian]

I have white stars and brown stars the largest are about 1/4" (at the moment) but I have never had a problem with them even in large numbers.

 

[Civicdemon]

Hate these things with a passion, I removed one a couple months back and now I have hundreds maybe even close to 1000 I suck them out every water change and there is still a bunch, they have not eaten any corals XX fingers but still they have eaten most all my coroline of my rocks and they just keep pissing me off. Iv ben trying to get my LFS to get me a pair of harliquins but still haven't gotten me a pair yet.

Anyone have any they can lend me ?? I will pay shipping of even if you wana sell let me know.

 

[DaveDiveMaster]

The ones to watch for have 2 longer arms than the rest. Asymetrical looking stars. These stars ith the 2 long arms are verified coral predators. "Most" of the other small stars seem to be okay, in particular the micro brittle stars....