HELP STARFISH ARE TAKEING OVER

[jojo22]

I have an over abundance of the little brown and black striped starfish. If I recall correctly these are the ones that eat polyps, which would explain my yellow polyps being down to almost nothing. How do I get rid of these guys???
I may buy a harliquin shrimp but that could get expensive after my "stock" is gone.

[seahorsedreams]

Do this look anything like the pic below. I know the stripes don't show up in the picture but they are there. Do alot of them stick their legs only out of the rock etc? If so, they are harmless...... a good thing to have actually. If these aren't the stars you are talking about is there any chance of a picture?

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/seahorsedreams/small%20tank%20stuff/brittlestar.jpg

[jojo22]

i'll try to get a pic, but those are similar. The ones I have are much darker and I found one this morning that was almost 1/2 inch from leg to leg. They look almost just like a brittle star.

[seahorsedreams]

You are describing microstars. They come in different colors. They can help keep inaccessible areas in your tank clean. They will also be in your gravel and take on the role of a sand stirrer..... turning gravel in areas you would never be able to reach! And they can get bigger than 1/2".

[playa0069u]

Ya, I thought they were ussually "wanted"

[jojo22]

"wanted" is usually the case but some starfish can and will destroy your reef. I just can't remember which are which. The little all white ones I know can be bad and I know there are more but ID'S are not my strong point. Couple this with the fact that my yellow polyps have been slowly disapearing and it raises a little red flag and I come here to ask.

[seahorsedreams]

The ones you have are not polyp eaters. There are "baddies" in every category... starfish, fish, snails crabs... etc but the ones you are describing are beneficial. The white ones are asterinas and I don't like them in my reef tank. For the most part the asterina seem to clean algae. But others have been seen munching on corals. Those I don't mess and remove them from the reef and put them in the mantis tank. The asterina look like this... mine have some coralline on them so they don't look white anymore.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/seahorsedreams/small%20tank%20stuff/asterina4.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/seahorsedreams/small%20tank%20stuff/asterina3.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/seahorsedreams/small%20tank%20stuff/asterina2.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/seahorsedreams/small%20tank%20stuff/asterina.jpg

I'm not sure what to tell you about yours that will help to ease your mind. Pluck one out of the rock (you have to "convince" them that they want to come with you or your take home prize will only be a leg) and send it to me. Or get that picture.