Ravaging Asterina Starfish?

[mbattles22]

I have noticed several asterina starfish lounging on top of my zoas. The zoas then remain closed for several days (or longer) after. I have tried gently picking them off of the zoas, but they come back. What are they doing? R they damaging the zoas, as a few still haven't opened again. Thanks for any helpful suggestions.
Michele

 

[gparr]

I don't trust asterinas with any coral. I pulled one off of a pipe organ colony a while ago and it took several days for the coral to recover. It was fine, but I'm convinced the asterina wasn't doing it any good. I am on constant asterina watch, especially in the evening. I get a cup and some tweezers and remove as many as I can find. Doing so keeps the population at bay. I don't know that you can ever remove them, unless you get a Harlequin shrimp, but, with a little effort, you can keep the population to a minimum.
Gary

 

[m'akoyPINOY]

i have the same problem. what i did is borrowed a harlequin shrimp from local reefer and i can't seem to find anymore asterina's.

 

[Wdsurfr]

I have seen them eating my corals both sps and lps. I too pick them off and put them in the sump when I find them. I think some are harmless and some aren't. I feed my tank heavily so I don't think the ones who were eating my corals were doing it because they were starving.

 

[Murfman]

Just found this from Advanced Aquarist Magazine;

Nardoa and Asterina spp Sea Stars
There is some controversy over the Asterina species sea stars, which can multiply to great numbers in reef aquariums. Most aquarists report no problems with them, but some claim that they eat SPS corals and make every effort to remove them. There are more than one species of Asterina and it's speculated that some species may be harmful. It's also speculated that the Asterina sea stars will consume SPS corals once they reach a certain density. I happened to put a Nardoa species sea star into a small reef aquarium that contains a large population of Asterina sea stars. I discovered that the Nardoa sea star regularly consumed the Asterina sea stars. The Nardoa sea star san be a good biological control for those aquarists that want to reduce their population of Asterina sea stars.

The pictures were taken as the Nardoa was eating Asterina sea stars on the glass walls of the aquarium. I used a Fuji S1 digital SLR camera, with flash at a shutter speed of 1/125 second and an aperture of F16, to take the pictures.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/gallery.htm

 

[swannyson7]

I had one kill a purple hornet back when they were fetching around $150 a polyp. Since that day I pull them as soon as I see em' and let em cook on the cross brace. Asterina BBQ anyone?? :xd:

 

[miyags]

I syphon them out with every water change. they were damaging some corals.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Murfman's article is right on - some definitely cause harm to corals, others do not. I have a large population of them in my tank, and they climb onto zoas as you described, but the zoas always open up afterwards, unless they were already closed and dying for other reasons. I have had asteria clean off a zoa plug, but only when the zoa was already wasting away for other reasons. Like Gary, I pick them out when/if I see them just to keep the population under control, but I don't lose any sleep over the ones that I currently have in my system.

Below is a before and after shot of one of my Jokers with a asteria on it, and a shot of the opened polyp several days later.

 

[gilmour01]

i definitely pull any that i stumble across.

 

[litenyaup]

get a harlequin shrimp, i had thousands....litteraly....and within a couple months they where all gone!!!

 

[TCK Corals]

will 6 line wrasse eat the harlequin shrimp?

 

[reefpeeper]

will 6 line wrasse eat the harlequin shrimp?

no i do not believe so

 

[ficklefins]

will 6 line wrasse eat the harlequin shrimp?

Another alternative to the harlequin, that also has the benefit of feeding on other foods, is the bumble bee shrimp.
Saltwater Aquarium Invertebrates for Marine Aquariums: Bumble Bee Shrimp

UPDATE:
Didn't notice the 6-line wrasse, which I think would eat the bumble bee shrimp

 

[pcfish]

2nd on the harlequin shrimp will take care of the problem. Took care of mine within a couple months.six line wrasse should bother hime but I guess it depends on how agressive it is.

 

[Sikryd]

I 2nd what someone said above. They don't "EAT" corals, but will clean up ones that are dead/dying though. I have a bunch and clean them up during water changes. They clean my frag plugs and the rest of my tank. I kind of think they are good as far as a clean up crew, but I don't like how they look.
I've seen them on zoa's too, but it is ones that are dying or dead already.

 

[mbattles22]

I had one kill a purple hornet back when they were fetching around $150 a polyp. Since that day I pull them as soon as I see em' and let em cook on the cross brace. Asterina BBQ anyone?? :xd:

Mine are attacking my red hornet.....of all the zoas in my tank. I don't think it is unhealthy because it was open and looking good the day before I noticed the star on it! I have picked three off on different days. I know they are different star fish because I have been throwing the ones I pick off out! I am scared to try any shrimp, because they don't last long in my system. We have several wrasses (six line, mystery, melanarus, leopard & carpenter) and every shrimp we have had disappears in a day or two and we find body parts dispersed around the tank. I know someone is taking them out! We did have a hoevens wrasse that recently died, who may have been the culprit....either way, I wouldn't want to borrow a harlequin from anyone. I will try your suggestion of picking them out, there are just so many of them! I haven't seen them on any other coral except my zoas. Thanks for all the insight and suggestions everyone. I really hope my red hornet recovers (just picked another starfish off this afternoon)!

 

[condor]

outbreaks happen in tanks with high nutrient values= someone is getting lazy with water changes.

 

[gparr]

Condor,
Interesting. I've not heard of asterina populations being related to nutrient levels. I've had high and low asterina populations through the years and can assure you that high nutrient levels are not part of my aquariums. Is there some some evidence that supports your statement?
Gary

 

[swannyson7]

Mine are attacking my red hornet.....of all the zoas in my tank. I don't think it is unhealthy because it was open and looking good the day before I noticed the star on it! I have picked three off on different days. I know they are different star fish because I have been throwing the ones I pick off out! I am scared to try any shrimp, because they don't last long in my system. We have several wrasses (six line, mystery, melanarus, leopard & carpenter) and every shrimp we have had disappears in a day or two and we find body parts dispersed around the tank. I know someone is taking them out! We did have a hoevens wrasse that recently died, who may have been the culprit....either way, I wouldn't want to borrow a harlequin from anyone. I will try your suggestion of picking them out, there are just so many of them! I haven't seen them on any other coral except my zoas. Thanks for all the insight and suggestions everyone. I really hope my red hornet recovers (just picked another starfish off this afternoon)!

As many people said, they tend to attack them when the polyp is already in rough shape. The purple hornet that was killed in my system was an accidentaly fragged polyp from when I moved my colony. It wasn't in the best shape, but it looked like it was going to suvive. Regardless of whether or not they attack the weak polyps, IME they will certainly kill off polyps that have a fighting chance of survival.

 

[AndyDuckets]

do u have another tank to move the wrasses into for a week or two? lol move em out for a week, then once u havent noticed one of those stars for a while, throw your wrasses back in, and who cares if they eat the shrimp...