Too many starfish, should I worry

[alazo1]

I would say I have about 300-400 starfishes in a 80g sps tank. They seem to be the little guys that come with a refugium kit. Should I do anything or just let it go. What do these guys eat anyways, I think pappone is partly responsible. I started some months ago. Now I only feed the pappone about 1 small cube a week.

I wanted to put in a filter sock to try to elimanate the bit of nitrate that is measured (2.5 ppm) on salifert but I'd hate to kill any small life in the tank. Many pods and some sponges. Tank is mainly sps.

thanks,
Albert

[DarkXerox]

You could borrow a harlequin shrimp from someone, but generally Aserina sp. sea stars are no threat.

[chrowski]

just put in a little more time during water changes to pull them out individually....it took about a month and a half of water changes before this idea started working for me...

[alazo1]

Sounds like I should start getting rid of them. I do get a bunch into the water change bucket but put them back.

Anyone in the San Jose area that would like some pm me.

thanks,
Albert

[DarkXerox]

post in the BAR forum, I know there are a few people that keep harlequin shrimp that would take the asterinas.

[Vanquish]

If the starfishes are not causing any problems, why remove them? They help in keeping the tank clean... :)

[Dwarf Seahorses]

Those little mini-stars are scavengers and completely harmless. They eat detritus and stuff. If you have too many of them it's usually a sign of overfeeding, but that may not be in your case.

[Big Boy69]

They'll eat all the coraline alage off your rock to.

[coralfever]

I know this may cause some debate but I have just recently noticed one of the small blue/grey asterina stars on the same pocillipora frag for a few days, and now there seems to be some bare skeleton on the frag that was not there previously. I also have the small white stars but the seem to avoid the corals. The blue/grey has definately been camped out on this coral for a few days. I will see if I can get a good picture when the lights are on in the morning.

[joeycadre]

some asternia's do eat sps corals.

[corndogg]

my harlequin's destroyed a massive population of asterina stars in just over a month in my 210

[trueblackpercula]

You could borrow a harlequin shrimp from someone, but generally Aserina sp. sea stars are no threat.
Every were I have heard and read that some star fish are not bad, But must asterina stars do attack SPS and should be discarded as soon as possible. Try the advice from others about the H shrimp. I know dealers that keep these guys in the holding tanks just for this reason. If you like speak with Eric from fragfammer I am sure that he can help you on this quest.
Michael