Asterina Star CUC?

[Waters]

I have a mixed reef which contains a Tusk (which means I cannot keep snails, hermits, and most other members of the CUC). I always have had Asterina stars but recently their population exploded. I know that some eat coral but I have not witnessed that in my tank. My question is, how efficient are they as members of a CUC? My tusk leaves them alone.....do they eat large amounts of algae and detritus like snails and hermits?

 

[cloak]

I wouldn't put too much faith into them one way or the other. Aside from being known to munch on certain corals, I've always thought that Coralline algae was primarily what they ate. Your a much more efficient janitor than any snail, crab or starfish will ever be anyways. GL.