- Joined
- Jun 18, 2019
- Messages
- 303
- Reaction score
- 481
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!
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!