Asterina ate my zoas

[FutureInterest]

From my experience, it doesn't matter what color they are... all asterinas can eat zoas.  It doesn't seem to be their preferred food source, but when other food is scarce or not to their liking, these guys will eat what they can get a hold of.  I've seen several times in the past year.  An asterina will be plopped on top of a polyp, when i remove the asterina there is a small hole in the zoa where the starfish's mouth was.  I manage them during water changes as I like to hand siphon the tank to remove detritus and I make sure to get all the asterinas I can see.  Keeping the population down seems to help keep them away from the corals as perhaps there is less competition for whatever it is they eat.

 

[danh]

I took 20-25 out yesterday and another 10 this morning. I could still see a few more I couldn't get to this morning. I am sure I'll be able to get another 10 or so through the day today. I think I'll post new topics on harlequins eating frozen starfish and the fluorescent pink on the rocks.

 

[terry]

Some wrasses eat crustations. You might consider that approach