asternia star problem

[downtime89]

Hey guys I got some asternia stars eatin some palys and zoas in my tank I have quiete a few asternias have had em for a while but they just now started munching. Its a 125 gal tank I have a sand sifter star which can be removed to a new home and a cleaner shrinp and peppermint shrimp. If I get a harquiln shrimp will that take care of my asternia problem and will ny other shrimp be safe?

 

[acroholic]

Definitely move the sand sifter. I don't think you should have any issues with the other shrimp if you add a Harley. I don't know of any other Asterina eaters besides Harlequin shrimp.

Just keep in mind that a Harley won't gobble them all up immediately, so I would manually remove them from the stuff being eaten until the population goes down to a manageable level.

 

[hackman72]

I had the same thing happen to me. Everything was fine and all of a sudden they started munching on the zoas. The other shrimp will be fine with the Harlequin.

 

[downtime89]

Acroholic;575135 wrote: Definitely move the sand sifter. I don't think you should have any issues with the other shrimp if you add a Harley. I don't know of any other Asterina eaters besides Harlequin shrimp.

Just keep in mind that a Harley won't gobble them all up immediately, so I would manually remove them from the stuff being eaten until the population goes down to a manageable level.

Will it ever get them all or will it just take a lot of em out and continue to keep em low? I guess was I mean will it kill off the population entirely and starve or eat like over half of em and leave some and eat them at a steady pace? Were is a good place to get one?

 

[gnashty]

downtime89;575173 wrote: Will it ever get them all or will it just take a lot of em out and continue to keep em low? I guess was I mean will it kill off the population entirely and starve or eat like over half of em and leave some and eat them at a steady pace? Were is a good place to get one?

a harley will eat them at a steady pace until they are completely gone. Have a rehoming plan or food plan for the guy when they are all gone. I havent seen an asterina star in my tank in a while - I have to pull them from my other tank to feed em now.

 

[pamelahaley]

Well... you can get a harlequinn shrimp and worry about what to do with it later or, you can farm your tank for aterinas and give them to Holly for her HQ Shrimp.

 

[downtime89]

Pamelahaley;575185 wrote: Well... you can get a harlequinn shrimp and worry about what to do with it later or, you can farm your tank for aterinas and give them to Holly for her HQ Shrimp.

No I won't be farming them as I need them gone since they are eating my palys luckily I have frags of all my corals in either my cube of my gfs tank...plus I will want to get my sandsifter back in....

 

[downtime89]

gnashty;575180 wrote: a harley will eat them at a steady pace until they are completely gone. Have a rehoming plan or food plan for the guy whten they are all gone. I havent seen an asterina star in my tank in a while - I have to pull them from my other tank to feed em now.

Will one in a 125 be enough?

 

[weaglereefer]

Without seeing your infestation, I'd say go with two. My one in my 90 made no noticeable dent in my population after 4 months, and this was with me pulling out 50-100 every morning as well. I had no problem selling my harley on here once I decided to nuke the starfish with a bleach bath, and there were people on a waiting list to get him, so I don't think you'd have a problem selling after they take care of business.

I still have yet to see an asterina since the reset.

 

[hhughes]

I'm in the market for a harlequin shrimp too. I have the same issue; asterinas didn't touch a thing til I got some gorgeous blue zoas, but they ate those within a week. And that was with me pulling them out manually twice a day (over 150 tiny dead stars in the end, but it didn't save my zoas).

Will one be ok with my fire shrimp? Is one good for a 55?

I'll have to have a starfish-sitter for my serpent star I suppose.

 

[weaglereefer]

Harlequing shrimp won't bother other ornamental shrimp. They also won't bother brittle starfish since they move too fast.