Is this some sort of starfish? Is it good for my tank?

[michaelabellz]

 

[BranchingHammer]

That's an asterina starfish. They reproduce very quickly by tearing themselves in half. Some people hate them for this, I don't mind them because they eat algae and detritus. There are some rare species that eat coral, but this one is probably safe. Your choice whether to throw it out or keep it, just know that from one there will be MANY more in your future.

 

[Cole.mormon]

Toss it
It will become a nuisance

 

[Rjmul]

toss it. I let these go for far too long. Now I think they're going after coraline and zoas. I must have picked out 150 last night and 50 tonight.

 

[sp1187]

not debating what's been said, but strangely in 2 1/2 years I've never had the explosion. I seeded the tank with 300+ early on knowing I was getting a harlequin. maybe a month after I got him I was having to add 100 bi-weekly. harlie just up and disappeared one day. no idea what happened to it. since he disappeared roughly 6 months ago I have one I see periodically.

 

[michaelabellz]

That's an asterina starfish. They reproduce very quickly by tearing themselves in half. Some people hate them for this, I don't mind them because they eat algae and detritus. There are some rare species that eat coral, but this one is probably safe. Your choice whether to throw it out or keep it, just know that from one there will be MANY more in your future.

Oh wow, I heard about these how fascinating. Where do these come from?

 

[LegendaryCG]

Lo

Oh wow, I heard about these how fascinating. Where do these come from?

They apparently come from my basement tank because it appears to have 400 of them vibing.

 

[Phil D.]

Hitchhiker, from it being on rock, looks to be the good one that eats algae. I had a bunch in my E-260 eating algae, so got a Harlequin to keep in check. Saw Harlequin other day and really has grown! Had an Asterina in her clutches, (mwahahah). They reproduce fast enough so just one Harlequin won't starve.

 

[vetteguy53081]

No good and not welcomed in any of my tanks. I had one literally eat an entire colony of bam bam zoa on me

 

[1guydude]

U cant tell what species it is. Toss it. They take on the color of what they eat. Mostly they turn green from eating all the algae. As said they will sit on zoa colonys.
D

 

[mermaid_life]

toss it unless you like polka dot rocks! they eat coralline algae also. I had missed one that came on a frag I presume. Luckily I saw and caught him right away because of a clean white area on a rock in a sea of purple.