hitchhiker starfish

[nate_newton]

So about a year ago I started buying corals again and getting hitchhiking Asterina stars. Last week I caught one on my purple haze monti, I removed it and found that it took a large chunk out of my healthy monti. I was looking at the tank last night and saw something in the rockwork. A large Asterina star, measuring over 3cm. I took a picture before I bagged and disposed of it.

[Manoj's Reef]

These are not good starfish, you should remove it.

[iyachtuxivm]

Watch em they love zoos too! I dont care what anyone else says I have witnessed it personally in my tank.

[nate_newton]

Thanks until this species I've never had a problem. Now I keep a close watch. And that one is gone, kept it long enough for my photo records.

[jolson10450]

i have them all over my tank, my experience is good so far with them, they just eat all the bad stuff in my tank, i had a zoa that was at it's outs and i was trying to save it (probably wouldn't of happened) and the next day i found one of these stars completely covering the single polyp frag, he was eating all of the dead flesh from it. i wouldn't draw to conclusion that he intentionally ate your monti but maybe that there was dead flesh on it and he ate the dead flesh from the piece.

i know if they are the majority black then they are bad, but majority white most people have no issues.

[Skyhigh]

I all ways toss them all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MizTanks]

These little guys get a bad rap for eating corals, mainly zoas. I did my own research on these, I have em too and after many many articles I've come to the conclusion that they are harmless. That when seen on corals they are merely eating the dead or dying flesh.
Do some more research before deciding what to do with them.

[MBud]

I've seen them kill a frag of my Bam Bam. Then go after my eagles eyes......I saved the eagle eyes. I have always seen a small amount in my tank, but I've noticed they cause issues when there is a population explosion of them. In general keep them under control.

[Sir Patrick]

I am convinced there are at least a couple different varieties of asterina, reef safe and not reef safe, and most are impossible to differentiate.

[nate_newton]

Originally Posted by Sir Patrick

I am convinced there are at least a couple different varieties of asterina, reef safe and not reef safe, and most are impossible to differentiate.

Very true. So far it has been the perfect six sided that has given me trouble. The oddball ones haven't touch anything from what I've seen. Still watching them all but the perfect six meet the trash. This could be an interesting project to keep track of and investigate.