Friend or foe ?

[BMan]

I have seen these in tanks but is it a pest ? Safe or not ?

 

[KJ]

Asterina starfish watch him Micro/film algae & coralline. Some varieties rumored to eat corals.

 

[Jason mack]

pest I think !!

 

[KJ]

pest I think !!

50/50 You take the chance Jason;)

 

[jason_mazzy]

murder him. even if he never touches a coral, he will breed to plague proportions.

 

[Jason mack]

50/50 You take the chance Jason;)

When it comes too my tank ... I take no chances .. !!!

 

[cloak]

I don't trust them.. Even if they don't eat your corals they don't really do much for a tank anyways. I'd much rather just play it safe and get rid of them.

 

[KJ]

When it comes too my tank ... I take no chances .. !!!

Me either:D

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Awesome pictures. If you find the opportunity, I would love if you could flip them over and take a picture of their underside.

There are only a couple dozen species of these and I'm wondering if we can visually ID them at all.

 

[BMan]

Under side.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

THANK YOU!!!!!

 

[BMan]

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Most excellent!

I'm trying to get a little catalog going. You never saw any "bad behavior" did you? Do you have coralline? If yes, did they eat any of it?

 

[BMan]

 

[BMan]

Most excellent!

I'm trying to get a little catalog going. You never saw any "bad behavior" did you? Do you have coralline? If yes, did they eat any of it?

It was a hitchhiker on a small frag rock. Haven't had it in the tank. Pulled it out of the bag the coral frag came in.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I think it's an Aquilonastra burtonii (not that it makes a difference, but stating so will make it easier for me to find this info again :))

 

[terrell wohlrab]

Hey @Lionfish Lair I also have one of these in my tank.... Well 2 now... I thought it's as cool and was going to leave it till i read this. The thing ripped itself apart and now I have 2 of them climbing on my tank. I'll get pictures tomorrow for you

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I would love that, Terrell.

 

[coral-boss]

Pest asterina starfish. Get rid of them. Before you know it you'll have tons all over the place. Try and take them out as you see them as the multiple like crazy.

 

[terrell wohlrab]

I would love that, Terrell.

Not a problem! I'm headed out to work right now. But when I get home I'll post pictures of both halfs for you before I remove him