asternia's eat at least one type of coral :(

[kevensquint]

Hi, just for anyone that is curious, I unfortunately found the common asternia's we all have in our tanks, likes eating my frag of millepora complanata. Or Caribbean fire coral. Ironically the strongest stinger of anything in my tank. Check out the base of the frag, 4 asternias and circular munch marks.

 

[kevensquint]

 

[NanaReefer]

Those do not look like the more common "white" ones.

Your looks like these coral predators.

 

[quatro]

Another way the ocean stays balanced. Most of the asternias I have encountered eat zoas

 

[Ike]

Those do not look like the more common "white" ones.

Your looks like these coral predators.

There are over 30 species of Asterina starfish... Many, if not all, of them are likely opportunists and will take a little munch on coral from time to time. They will probably do so more often as populations grow and more common food sources decrease. Regardless of color, it's probably often best to err on the side of caution and at least not knowingly add them to a reef tank.

 

[kevensquint]

These are light gray top, white underside. The actinics made the pic incorrect with respect to colors

 

[nanolax]

ah that's a shame. I had dozens of asterina stars in my old SPS tank and they never bothered anything.

What are your next steps? removal?

 

[kevensquint]

No steps, it would be like swatting bees while standing next to the hive. They will eat it, and I won't get another fire coral.

 

[afamousjohnson]

I have found 5 or 6 different types in my tank. Also found 1 eating a monti. It was the same grey one like yours And that specific one I tend to find on acros also. Have found problems with the speckled green camouflage ones as well

 

[sukimu]

I Found one in my tank, but its always on my glass. Never bothered my Zoas.

 

[Viracon13]

I rarely see them in my tank as I don't let them wander off. Whenever I do see one, I pick it with tweezers and feed them to one of my plate corals. Many have never had problems with asterinas but I'd rather not take the chance.

 

[MrDJeep123]

Time for a harlequin shrimp! :xd:

 

[watdachuck]

I pulled a couple out of my reef that I saw munching on an acro.

Since then I have been seeing others that are munching on bubble algae! Seems to be hit or miss by the individual almost...

 

[gtbarsi]

Time for a harlequin shrimp! :xd:

+1 harlequin are the silver bullet for starfish, especially asternia's!

 

[watdachuck]

You little coral eating mutter futter!

 

[MikeyB]

+1 harlequin are the silver bullet for starfish, especially asternia's!

+2? I had an asterina problem in my tank for a while, picked up a harlequin shrimp and now they're 99% gone, i still see one here and there, but figured he's still working on it

 

[Triggreef]

I'm not so convinced looking at the picture. Looks like some discoloration at the base of the coral. More likely the stars are eating the decaying matter which I think most people confuse with the stars eating the coral. But a better pick would help. They tend to flock to decaying matter which explains why there is a group of them at the base. And not one up on the living tissue.