The Little one on the tank glass

Levinson

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I found this fellow on the glass while playing with a handheld microscope.
It was about as big as a copepod. I have no issue with him/her being there but I'm just curious as I have no idea what it is.
Could this be a snail larva? Is it an animal even?
Does anyone have any good guess?


Link to the video
 

Cell

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They can multiply fast and potentially eat zoas.
 
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Levinson

Levinson

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Thank you all!
No corals for them to eat in my tank so... guess I'll look forward to seeing Asterina star soon?
I can't remove them as they are now anyway, if they are literally the size of copepods that I can only id them with a microscope.
For now, I'll just wait and see.
 

Tamberav

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I have lots of zoas and lots of those stars and they don't eat the zoas. They just eat the film on algae on the glass. Cute things!
 

CMMorgan

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I've had them for years. They never got out of hand and they never ate my zoas. I think that they are cute. If they become a problem, deal with it then.
 

reefinatl

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I never had a real problem with them. The variety that I had in my setup years ago was just there in high numbers but no real damage. I did actually just intentionally add them to my nano that is full of xenia yellow polyps gsp and other fun stuff. I'm doing what I can to keep them out of my larger mixed reef though.
 

vetteguy53081

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Nuisance is not the word. They quickly grow in numbers and can clog up plumbing and yes they do go after zoa as I caught some the size of a nickel taking down a colony of bam bam zoa.

star1.jpg
star2.jpg
 

Theulli

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I have had asterinas in my tank since about the day after it cycled. They were literally the first living thing I ever saw in there. I kept waiting for the starfish apocalypse, but I have never seen more than 3 or 4. Just piping in to note that having them in your tank is not a sign of inevitable doom.
 

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