I have had a few zoa colonies with some dieoff lately. And I do mean zoas, not palys or similar. I have looked for irritants like nudis, but I cant find anything on the colonies except for those tiny asterina type starfish. I have wondered if there are varieties that are harmful to zoas?
Anyone have bad experiences with Asterina Stars?
- Thread starter derek_s
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Yeah, mine are very similar to any other I have seen. Whitish brown. none are pink, or other notable colors.
I wonder what will get them off the colonies? Are tehy sensitive to iodine? If I could catch my hawk fish I'd just get one of those shrimp that eat stars... whatever they;re called.
I wonder what will get them off the colonies? Are tehy sensitive to iodine? If I could catch my hawk fish I'd just get one of those shrimp that eat stars... whatever they;re called.
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I am of the same opinion with sterinas as I am with bristleworms and clean up crew in general. They get an unfair rep. Too often, they are merely eating ded or dying tissue and scavenging, and they are blamed for the cause of death. I certainly do not doubt people find these stars on corals, but which came first, the chicken or the egg? Was the coral dead/dying, or was the star killing it? I beieve the first, when, as Derek as indicated, they often coexist just fine for long periods, and then suddenly start eating? I dont buy it. I have probably millions of these things in my tanks and have never had reason to think them harmful.
Exactly, I tend to agree with you Jeremy. I do not believe that I have introduced any new ones to the system by accident, and they didnt bother anything before.
The only guess I had was that their food had become more scarce, which I find hard to believe. I know some animals, especiall hermits, will eat odd things when they are hungry enough. I see them on the glass 'apparently' eating film algaes. I have been gettign my NO3 and PO4 lower and lower which has resulted in less algae, but I know there is still plenty available for them.
The only guess I had was that their food had become more scarce, which I find hard to believe. I know some animals, especiall hermits, will eat odd things when they are hungry enough. I see them on the glass 'apparently' eating film algaes. I have been gettign my NO3 and PO4 lower and lower which has resulted in less algae, but I know there is still plenty available for them.
Which, leads me to assumption 2.
Maybe the lowering of the NO3 over the past few weeks from 20 to <5 has been the culprit. I dont feel like it dropped super fast (4-6 week span, maybe?) , but perhaps it was fast enough to shock the few that are affected.
Maybe the lowering of the NO3 over the past few weeks from 20 to <5 has been the culprit. I dont feel like it dropped super fast (4-6 week span, maybe?) , but perhaps it was fast enough to shock the few that are affected.
I have posted this before but I have seen the blue / gray astrina (sp) starfish crawl across a perfectly healthy colony of Paly's (PPE's) and kill them. The polyps will close up and then just start melting away over a day or two. If you search on the Club Zoa (R2R) site you will see similar posts.
Darren
Darren
Funny.....but I have seen more of these in the last couple weeks in my 210 than I have in the previous 6 months. So much so that I bought a Harlequin Shrimp for my 100 gallon and just toss the Asterinas I find on the 210 glass into the 100 to feed it.
I'm hoping I have enough of a population in the 210 so I don't have to buy any feeder starfish for it.
Dave
I'm hoping I have enough of a population in the 210 so I don't have to buy any feeder starfish for it.
Dave
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Interesting observation. I do not know what a starfish could be producing that would kill a coral days after the fact, without showing obvious signs of degradatuion/consumption. Eeven the crown of thorns just sits on a coral and eats it. As far as I am aware, no starfish can secrete a toxin of poisin that will settle or lay on a coral and poison it. Curious...
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Seeing is believing. We've gone over this before Jeremy, and I've witnessed it as well. Kill them all imo just to be sure.
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Very true Jin. I am not doubting anyones experience or impression, I just find it a little hard to believe. I feel the same way about people saying their cleaner or peppermint shrimp "ate" their clam. Nonetheless, to each their own. Jin, I hear theiyre delicious.
