'Reef safe' Asterinas - Negative experience

Tennyson

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Hey everyone,

I've been keeping the 'reef safe' species of asterinas for a few years now. I've noticed that they are eating some organisms I would like to keep. To clarify - the asterinas are NOT eating my healthy adult coral, but they have widened their palette to eat things I consider ornamental as well as baby polyps that I am growing. Here's some unwanted behavior I've noticed.

1) Some baby sun coral have gone missing after the asterinas pass over them. These baby polyps are 1-2 mm large and are easy prey. I've lost at least 4 polyps to them.
2) These guys love sponges. They've been chomping away at the red ornamental sponge that decorates my thorny oyster. Definitely not something I want to lose!
3) Observed one asterina on top of a weak baby bowser zoa - yes the expensive kind!! I never saw this polyp open, but would have been nice to give it a chance.

Will be getting a harlequin shrimp to control their population. And keeping an eye on these opportunists!

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Tennyson

Tennyson

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I've banished all asterinas (at least 4 dozen at this point) to the sump, so I can confirm this weekend! I do notice that they all have grey specks on them, can't say they're blue yet.
 

Kimberely

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That's the thing...they're opportunistic feeders. If their preferred food source is lacking they will find something else to feed on. At first mine weren't a problem. But as the population grew and they ate most of my coralline, they then targeted my zoas. I lost a whole colony. I now pull out every asterina I see.
 

X-37B

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I pull them out when I can.
Probably pulled out a couple hundred out of my nano.
They ate coralline in my nano.
I pull them out of my 120 when I see them.
They are live rock hitch hikers.
They multiply fast if not removed.
 
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Tennyson

Tennyson

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Yup! It makes sense, they're all fun and cute until they overstay their welcome. I don't see any blue specks on them, just black/grey markings.

They'll be a great food supply for some beautiful harleys though, so thats a plus!
 

motortrendz

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I remove them when I see the or they turn into a thousand strong, I dont mind them so much but when I see more of them 10 on the glass at a time I usually find about 30 or so and remove them. Usually about every 3 or 4 weeks I have to cull them back. I wish I could get a harlequin shrimp. They're gorgeous, but my bird wrasse would have am expensive dinner
 

Mark3

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Put a harlequin shrimp in and they will be gone in no time at all...but the down side is then you have to find something to feed the harlequin or give it away, as they feed ONLY on starfish.... I bought mine chocolate chip stars and sand stars to keep it alive for a year or so....and then got lazy and forgot to get a starfish for it....
 

Kimberely

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Put a harlequin shrimp in and they will be gone in no time at all...but the down side is then you have to find something to feed the harlequin or give it away, as they feed ONLY on starfish.... I bought mine chocolate chip stars and sand stars to keep it alive for a year or so....and then got lazy and forgot to get a starfish for it....
Bumble bee shrimp will eat them. But unlike other harlequin shrimp they will accept other foods as well.
 

tehmadreefer

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No such thing as a reef safe asternia. Eventually they will eat corals just a matter of time. Get a harlequin and problem solved
 

Mark3

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Yup! It makes sense, they're all fun and cute until they overstay their welcome. I don't see any blue specks on them, just black/grey markings.

They'll be a great food supply for some beautiful harleys though, so thats a plus!
4 dozen will only keep one harlequin fed for a couple weeks....one will eat more than what you can produce
 
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ruskimax

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Put a harlequin shrimp in and they will be gone in no time at all...but the down side is then you have to find something to feed the harlequin or give it away, as they feed ONLY on starfish.... I bought mine chocolate chip stars and sand stars to keep it alive for a year or so....and then got lazy and forgot to get a starfish for it....
So much wrong in this post, no more internets for me tonight ....
 

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