starfish

jpjones

jpjones

Reefing newb
Noticed this starfish today,appears to have 6 legs pail pink in color anybody know what kind it is?

6leg003.jpg
 
Asterina stars.
Some say they are safe and others say they are not.Some had said they caught them eating there polyps.I have them and haven't had any corals die.I think they eat the dead or dieing.If I start to see to many then I pick them out with a needle.
 
Freak & Keeper Thanks for the link and the info. was very helpful. I will not worry for now, but as a rule is it true that fat leg stars are not reef safe or is this a myth I have believed?
 
heard it before, referring to like pincushion starfish, bahama starfish, and chocolate chip starfish, only good for fish only tanks.
 
Yep, asterina stars. If I ever found one in my tank, I'd take it out ASAP. I've just heard too many stories of them behaving themselves for a long time, then all of a sudden turning corals into an all you can eat buffet.
 
I agree,its an Asterina.
From what I understand,there are hundrededs of species of them.Some are reef safe,some are not.
When in doubt,flush it.
 
got this from a reef central article in rk magazine

A few species of stars may be kept successfully in aquaria. Probably the most ubiquitous of these are several (?) small species of cushion stars, possibly in the genus Asterina. These small stars are gray, white, or sometimes mottled with green, and are about one half inch across. They reproduce by fission, and are seldom seen with a complete array of arms. There appear to be three distinct types, which may be different species, found in reef aquaria. The most common variety is one that appears to eat algae and surface films. The second most common variety (although it is quite rare) eats zoanthids and soft corals. The rarest variety of these small white stars eats stony corals. Fortunately, aquarium control of them is pretty easy. They are not the speediest of animals, and if you find you have a type that is causing problems, periodic starfish safaris can generally rid a tank of them
 
90 % are film algae eaters from what i have read at other sites, only small percent are bad just watch em to see there habits in aquarium mine are always on rock or glass not near my zoas, or other corals.
 
uh, huh....like I said. Get rid of it. Why take the chance? If it were a beautiful fish - I could see taking a risk. A weird-looking starfish? no chance - flush it

-Doc
 
Well did remove it after seeing it move onto my zoos. Did not notice it eating them but not taking a chance. So to be safe I will remove them when seen.
Now I just seen what looks like a fuzzy caterpillar with some long hair and some short. Tried to get pic but was gone when I got back. Any ideas?
Also have a tiny seahare about 1/2 in long .
 
The fuzzy caterpillar thing is most likely a bristleworm,most are scavengers and are reef safe.

A tiny sea hare huh?Maybe some kind of nudibranch.Watch out some will eat polyps,zoos and other corals.
 
a lettuce Nudi is OK, if that is what it is, they are reef safe - sort of. They only live a few weeks tho, if they were hitchikers. Let me see if I have a blurry pic for you to compare...

-Doc
 
Here is a blurry pic of a Lettuce Nudibranch

<img src="https://www.livingreefs.com/gallery/files/8/2/3/lettucenudibranch.jpg" alt="lettucenudibranch" />

-Doc
 

Similar threads

Mike
Server Migration Complete
Replies
0
Views
439
Mike
Mike
Mike
Species Database Photography
Replies
0
Views
1K
Mike
Mike
A
Long green worm with ribbon end ID?
Replies
1
Views
1K
Mike
Mike
C
whirling wrasse, oh no!
Replies
0
Views
2K
classywrassy
C
Mike
Software Updated
Replies
0
Views
727
Mike
Mike
Back
Top