Echnioderm Hitchhiker ID:

[reef4me2]

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I've posted, but yesterday my LFS was having their anniversary sale, and I purchased several new corals (each attached to a piece of LR). I've already found many new hitchhikers (including a red-legged hermit crab, two brittle stars, and a large turbo snail), but there is one that I can not identify. It is a very small (about a half inch from arm tip to arm tip), tan-colored starfish. It has six thick rays. I can't get a pic of right now, unfortunately. Any ideas?

[graveyardworm]

Are they rays all the same size?

[reef4me2]

Yep. Completely symmectrical.

[graveyardworm]

Well that pretty much rules out asterina. Here's (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rs/index.php) an article which may help there are links with pics. Chances are you'll have to post a picture for an id.

[Steve973]

It could be an asterina that's ready to split. I have many of them in my tank, and sometimes you see them with symmetrically-sized arms just before they divide.

I also urge you not to give into the paranoia about these things. They've never bothered any of my sps. It's a shame that Garf has perpetuated such bad stuff about them.

If you get a definitive ID, i'd be interested in hearing about it. Good luck!

[doodie]

I have had these little starfish in my tank for years. These are very small and seem to eat algae diatoms and never caused me problems.....until last night:(

I saw a larger one eating a very small SPS frag. I have never had problems before and have never seen one as large as that. I picked it off and took it out of the tank but the frag was dead.

I seem to think that maybe the smaller stars feed on algae diatoms until they mature, then they favour SPS. I compared this star with one of the smaller ones on the glass and it was identical apart from the size difference.

I have not seen any other larger ones even tho I have looked and none of the other SPS seem affected. Maybe I caught it having its first SPS meal? LOL

From now on, I will remove the larger ones if I see them.

[graveyardworm]

Possibly the SPS frag was already dead/dying and the star was just doing its cleanup job.

[GARFVolunteer]

Most of these starfish are good but there are a few bad ones out there. Just use some common sense, if you find one munching on corals, decide if you prefer the coral or the star fish and act accordingly. I like my capnella so I bought a harlequin shrimp.

http://www.idahoreefs.org/Meetings/reef-pests/predetorystarfish/predatorystarfish.htm

I was volunteering at GARF when they were expeirmenting with the starfish and SPS corals. From what I saw there is no doubt in my mind that there are some asterina that will feed on perfectly healthy SPS.

Thanks,

Scott

[doodie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7577163#post7577163 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by graveyardworm
Possibly the SPS frag was already dead/dying and the star was just doing its cleanup job.

It certainly wasn't dead an hour before the starfish got hold of it. Also when I pulled it off the SPS it still had part of the living tissue in its mouth. It was totally wrapped around the tip of the coral.

Seriously, I will be very vigilant when it comes to the larger ones. I have now seen with my own eyes what these little critters are capable of.