Micro Stars

[Ivan Panama]

There are a bunch of these micro starfish appearing on my DT. Should I leave them?

 

[Bdog4u2]

They're harmless but I'd pluck them they can multiple fast and will be everywhere

 

[CastAway]

Likewise, I remove every one I see. Some say they will eat Zoas, but I my self have never seen it. I just don't take a chance.

 

[Mattie-KCCO]

Personally I'd say remove. I had them in my DT and mine were eating my Zoas! I witnessed it. I watched them crawling on top of them and just munching away at the closed polyp. dang things - thankfully I picked up a Harlequin Shrimp and he pretty much eradicated them. And my Zoas made a come back.

Edit - Asterina Stars is what they are called if you wanna look into it for yourself.

 

[OGFrenchHorn]

Remove. they only eat algae but when there are tons of them (they reproduce supper fast) they start getting on coral. that becomes a problem because they eject their stomach to digest. it ends up melting zoas and other coral.

 

[cloak]

I'd remove them as well.

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/45-reefkeeping-101-

http://www.coralpedia.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=1426

http://chucksaddiction.thefishestate.net/ (Info Links > Hitch Hikers > Starfish)

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/asterinafaqs.htm

http://www.garf.org/Star/starfish.html

http://www.withinthesea.com/reef-aquarium/pests/asterina-anomala/

This isn't my picture, but you get the idea.

 

[melypr1985]

I've ended up with a ton of asternia stars in my Display at work. I did see a couple brown ones eating some nice zoas. I plucked those out and am currently waiting for my harlequin shrimp to come in and eat the rest of these suckers!