Reefs.org Forums

[Anemone of the State]

I've got a Sagan of little tiny brittle starfish in my aquarium. They are all over everything. WTF? Is there a good predator I can get?

[_Andy]

I've always had them in my tanks with no apprentice problems. Mostly light colored ones.

[Louey]

I've always had them in my tanks with no apprentice problems. Mostly light colored ones.

What critters usually give you apprentice problems?

Louey

[_Andy]

I've always had them in my tanks with no apprentice problems. Mostly light colored ones.

What critters usually give you apprentice problems?

Louey

My spell checker strikes again!

[Subcomandante Marcos]

These things are about 0.5 cm in diameter, max. I have one big one (that I am aware of).

[Well Sea's'ned]

These things are about 0.5 cm in diameter, max. I have one big one (that I am aware of).

That ****'s just quote-worthy right there. Thanks!

[Matt_]

They are Asterina sp. and generally harmless (unless they aren't). Nardoa novaecaledoniae is a seastar that will eat them. You can also pluck them out when you have time to get on top of them as they reproduce fairly slowly. I generally ignore them.

I'm sure at least one LFS or internet post will recommend harlequin shrimp to eat them--it's not a good suggestion.

[sfsuphysics]

I concur with Matt they're harmless unless they aren't Probably harmless, however the minute you see one on a dying/dead coral you'll blame the starfish first.

Harlequins could help, but only if you want to keep Harlequins. Also agree it's a pretty bad knee jerk reaction fix. Kind of like getting copperband butterflies when you get aiptasia.

[_Andy]

If you don't want them just vacuum them out with a hose - I never worry about them they didn't hurt anything and were cool.

[Matt_]

I concur with Matt they're harmless unless they aren't Probably harmless, however the minute you see one on a dying/dead coral you'll blame the starfish first.

Harlequins could help, but only if you want to keep Harlequins. Also agree it's a pretty bad knee jerk reaction fix. Kind of like getting copperband butterflies when you get aiptasia.

There is also the pretty good likelihood that the Harlequins will completely ignore the Asterina.

[The Escaped Ape]

Steadily removing them every time you see them, during a water change etc, will help quite a lot. I have some in my tank, but remove them every time I see one and therefore have very few.

[_Andy]

I always took/take the tac that if life in the tank isn't harmful it is beneficial - if for no other reason than I enjoy seeing it.

[Flabello Meandroid]

I had harlequins and they ate every single one of the millions I had. Pretty quickly too.