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View Full Version : Is this my first critter?


ramtmac
03/23/2010, 09:48 PM
Found this on the top corner... its really tiny. (like the size of a mosquito or ant. )
starfish? algea? bug? nothing?

Let me know what you think!

snorkeler
03/23/2010, 10:08 PM
Looks like what people describe as an asterina star to me. Have read they reproduce fairly quick....

ramtmac
03/23/2010, 10:09 PM
is that bad?
do i need to get rid of him or feed him haha

costellow
03/23/2010, 10:13 PM
how cute!

snorkeler
03/23/2010, 10:14 PM
I've never had them, but I've read there are different opions about them.

Melev for example lists them in his pest gallery:
http://www.melevsreef.com/pest_control.html

This article mentions them too:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/ac/feature/index.php

snorkeler

ramtmac
03/24/2010, 10:47 AM
guess ill leave him in. I dont need to feed them anything do i haha. when i get fish will they eat it ?

gweston
03/24/2010, 11:54 AM
I have some in my tank. Some can be good. Some can be bad. Basically keep an eye on them.

I had a few and left them alone. They didn't touch my softies/LPS but were on the glass and rock cleaning up algae. They seemed safe. Then as the tank aged and more coraline grew, I saw a larger one (still tiny by star standards) munching on coraline. There was a nice path where it had been. I removed it from the tank.

I suspect I have others. If I see them being bothersome. I'll remove them. Otherwise they stay. Even if they much coraline. I suspect it will grow back at a fast enough rate to keep ahead of the asterina.

They come, they go. Depends on how much nutrients are available.

Eric Williams
03/24/2010, 11:57 AM
Start fish, I feel they are good if they do not get out of hand. I am guessing that I have about 100 in my tank and sump.


Good luck

thebkramer
03/24/2010, 11:58 AM
+1 ^...keep an eye on him. None of mine bother my corals, but I remove immediately when I see one on a coral for too long just to be safe, but thats what I do :)

jennifish120
03/24/2010, 02:10 PM
I think it's a starfish too. I have several in my tank - no problems so far - if they cause any, I'll remove them. No worries! At least gives you something to look at until you get fish! :)

Neko
03/24/2010, 03:28 PM
We have a milion of these in our Maroon clown tank! :D they cover the glass. I think they're fun to watch. I call them mutant starfish, they all have a different number of legs hehe I've never seen ours bother anything but then we have little for them to bother in that tank.