Starfish ID please

[Mearle]

Got a dying coral from the lfs for free only few polyps left found a starfish on it was woundering if he was the cause of it all

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Asterina starfish. Some people claim they eat corals so it is possible that they are the cause. They reproduce quickly by dropping a leg.

 

[Mearle]

Thanks I had them when I first bought an existing tank but they all died through the cycle they looked a lot diffrent though I was hoping it was this guy so I could save the coral but looks like not hopefully he will survive we will see

 

[steve&mari]

Pitch it the white ones are ok but dark/blue ones will kill polyps.

 

[cloak]

The fact that nobody can distinguish the bad Asterina stars from the good Asterina stars is why I treat them all as bad. As soon as I see one it get's tossed ASAP.
There's lot's of horror stories out there regarding these things. Watch out!

 

[AdamNC]

I've got quite a few in my tank, one about the size of a dime. All light colored, almost white, and all have been good. I've read where most people have issues with the dark colored ones.