Asterina stars eating CARS

[GeoHawk]

I have thousands of Asterina sea stars in my tank. Some of them are eating my CARS, they leave all the rest of my zoas and palys alone as far as I can tell. Any way of getting rid of these without trying to manually remove them all? I also have a blue linkia that I dont want to loose in the process. It is a healthy sea star that I have had for over a year.

 

[joshporksandwich]

Get a harlequin. Try to put linkia on sump for a few weeks. I don't know if harlequin will eat it though.

 

[o2manyfish]

The Harlequin will eat the Asternia. Depending on your population you may need more than 1.

Dave B

 

[joshporksandwich]

The Harlequin will eat the Asternia. Depending on your population you may need more than 1.

Dave B

Do you know if the harlequins will eat the linkia?

 

[GeoHawk]

Thanks for the thoughts
I thought that harlequins would be the way to go, but I was hoping for something else for a few reasons.
1. Worried that moving the linkia to the sump will stress it too much.
2. I have a cleaner, corris, and potters wrasse that might enjoy a harlequin for lunch.
3. What am I going to do with the harlequin once the atrinas are gone and I want my linkia back in the tank.

I know this makes it difficult so I am going to have to decide between manual removal or chances the harlequin. Might sound bad but if I go with the harlequin I may try a test peppermint first to see if it gets eaten.

Thanks again any other thoughts would be great.

 

[joshporksandwich]

Try the harlequin anyways manual removal is next to impossible. I had the same problem with hundreds of asterinas and after 3 weeks 2 harlequins ate them all. After they were done I sold them to someone local with the same problem. I have a creole anthia that's a shrimp killer and luckily he didn't pic at them but any cleaner or peppermint I put gets shredded. Funny thing after I placed the harlequin in my tank in the mornings there were like 30-40 asterinas on the glass like if they were running away from the shrimps.

 

[Csreef]

Use a chocolate star to bait the harlequin in an area of the tank you can use a net. I know its time consuming, but it works.
Good luck.

 

[GeoHawk]

Should I get a pair of harlequins? Ive been doing some reading and it states they are better in pairs. Does it really matter?

 

[joshporksandwich]

Should I get a pair of harlequins? Ive been doing some reading and it states they are better in pairs. Does it really matter?

You have nothing to loose. Well 50-60 for the shrimp but if they take care of asterinas you'll be happy

 

[spspirate]

I think I had the same thing happen to mine at one time.

 

[GeoHawk]

Ive had the harlequin for about a month and Im not seeing a huge decline in stars. Not sure if its because they are multiplying as fast as he is eating them or what. I only got one because the store didnt have 2 of them. My lankia seems to be doing ok in the fuge for now. Hopefully the harlequin will get alittle more agressive.

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[jservedio]

Ive had the harlequin for about a month and Im not seeing a huge decline in stars. Not sure if its because they are multiplying as fast as he is eating them or what. I only got one because the store didnt have 2 of them. My lankia seems to be doing ok in the fuge for now. Hopefully the harlequin will get alittle more agressive.

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A lot of the time they don't actually kill the stars - they ONLY eat the tube-feet of the stars. Sometimes they will rip off the leg(s), eat the tube feet and let the star live so that it will grow more arms and more tube feet. They certainly aren't stupid. Even though they may not kill the asterinas, they will keep them from devouring your Zoas... You can always get a couple more to help out.

I would imagine Harleys would eat your Linckia, my PEPPERMINT shrimp devoured mine after 6 months of living peacefully.