Help identifying little white starfish

[phoenix20]

Can someone help me identify this starfish? I haven't added any new live rock since the tank was first started, so I'm wondering how this guy hitchhiked his way on in. This was the first time I have ever seen this guy in the tank. The only additions to the tank were 2 LPS coral frags I picked up at MACNA.

I'm worried that it might be a chocolate chip starfish. Has anyone seen these micro white starfish before? Its really small -- probably less than a half inch.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30662678@N04/2869578497/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/30662678@N04/2869578497/</a>
[IMG]http://www.flickr.com/photos/30662678@N04/2869578495/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/30662678@N04/2869578495/</a>
[IMG]http://www.flickr.com/photos/30662678@N04/2869578501/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/30662678@N04/2869578501/</a>

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Astrina starfish... They are harmless and hitchhikers. They will reproduce like mad but if there gets to be too many of them, just remove some.

 

[FutureInterest]

I would recommend just removing them now while there are just a few. There are apparently many different species of asterina and a few will kill zoas as well. Better safe than sorry as I am now that I let these lil *******s live...

 

[shamanofsexy]

Ive noticed 4 of these in my tank.

Will anything eat them??

 

[lilrobb]

Harlequin Shrimp do

 

[shamanofsexy]

LilRobb;446921 wrote: Harlequin Shrimp do

sweet will get one

 

[lilrobb]

Umm,

they will actually eat other stuff too - be careful!

 

[chymos45]

Also be aware that starfish are pretty much all they eat. If you only have 4, pull them out manually. The harlequin would starve very quickly.

 

[weaglereefer]

If you can see 4, I bet you have 50+.

I was studying some zoas the other day because they were closed up and appear to be disappearing. I noticed one of these (was unable to determine the color white/blue/grey) and when I looked closer, I counted 20 in about a 20"sq area. Then I looked at other rocks and noticed similar numbers, probably several hundred, but they blend in...still on the fence about what to do.

 

[chymos45]

au01st;446935 wrote:
1. If you can see 4, I bet you have 50+.

2. still on the fence about what to do.

1. Agree 100%
2. Get a harlequin (or a pair), let it do its thing, and then sell him.

I have been looking for a harlequin for a few weeks now, with no luck.

 

[lilrobb]

I think Tim had some...

 

[chymos45]

Thanks for the head's up.

 

[jaustin]

get rid of them, they eat zoa's. If you frag them and put them where the stars can get too, they will be gone if one gets on them. Something about the fresh cut that gets their mouths watering.

 

[weaglereefer]

Yup, found one ON a zoa this morning, caught him in the act. Must have been right as he was finishing b/c the zoa came loose and floated away. This is/was an established colony of 40+ polyps and I'm loosing one-two a day. I have a backup of this colony in my frag tank, but it's very annoying.

Guess I'll start my search for a Harlequin shrimp, no way I can pick off that many of the little things.

 

[brianjfinn]

Someone really needs to post a pic of these since the originals were deleted. I've got a bunch of little tiny stars in my tank, but don't know what you guys are describing.

 

[chymos45]

 

[weaglereefer]

Hard to get a good pic b/c they're so small, but here's the culprit on my zoas.

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[weaglereefer]

And after removal

Top

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Bottom

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[brianjfinn]

Yup, just read an article from reef keeping mag on these. I've got tons of them and have had no problems with them attacking my corals.

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/45-reefkeeping-101">http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/45-reefkeeping-101</a>

This is a really good article and addresses the problems a few have had with coral-eating Asterina Starfish.

 

[weaglereefer]

I've always had them, but this is the first time I've seen them eating my zoas. Oh well, got way too much $$$ in zoas to worry about which stars are the good ones and which are bad, they're all gonna pay...you know, that whole one bad apple saying.