What is this little 6-pointed starfish?

Darryn Lyon

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This is definitely new in my tank. We picked up some pipe organ coral and some cactus coral and this guy must have hitched a ride. Is this an asterina? What's the concensus on these? I've been taking some mixed things as to whether they're good or bad. Sorry about the picture, my biocube is on moonlight.
5c6a1d5aab4fd0eb0febea7328beb25f.jpg
 

melypr1985

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Asternia Star. I think they are fine. I have seen (once) a brown one on some zoas that weren't doing too well. I fed it to a harlequin shrimp and the zoas started doing better. That's not proof, just an experience. I had thousands of them in a display at work and they never bothered anything in there. The brown one was in a sale tank. My overall oppinion on them is that they are mostly harmless.
 

cromag27

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I've heard a lot of reports that the darker ones like to munch on coral. I'm not sure if they're a different species than the all white ones.
 

saltyfilmfolks

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Theyre kinda neat free clean up crew. I do have the ones that are "coral eaters". rust w red w brown w black flecks on white/tan background. they have never eaten my corals. I think I have other easier stuff to eat in my tank..

That said, the populations can get kinda large over time and they do compete w other members of the crew. Im kinda over them now and probably going to cull the herd to encourage my other cuc populations. they also eat coralline. btw.
 

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