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Author Topic: Help with starfish ID  (Read 3339 times)

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Offline mtamorrow

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Help with starfish ID
« on: September 29, 2016, 19:28:14 »
Just saw this guy for the first time. Anyone know what kind it is? Good or bad? A little smaller than a dime


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Offline kellyj

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2016, 20:56:53 »
Mike,
How big is this starfish?  Hard to tel from the pic.
Kelly

Offline Steve

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2016, 21:05:52 »
I believe it is an asterina star, generally harmless though I have seen them eat zoanthids. There are many different types of them just monitor.

Offline mtamorrow

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2016, 21:37:55 »
I believe it is an asterina star, generally harmless though I have seen them eat zoanthids. There are many different types of them just monitor.
Will do. Thanks Steve!


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Offline mtamorrow

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2016, 21:38:50 »
Mike,
How big is this starfish?  Hard to tel from the pic.
Kelly
About the size of a big screw head, smaller than a dime


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Offline Kenn

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2016, 22:00:18 »
Asterina Starfish

I leave them alone. There are mixed opinions about them.
Currently doing a 75g build | http://ohioreef.com/index.php?topic=16275.0| tanks of the past : 26g Bowfront LPS and Fish| http://www.ohioreef.com/index.php?topic=4858.0 || 37g a little of everything | http://www.ohioreef.com/index.php?topic=7751.0

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Offline mtamorrow

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2016, 06:41:58 »
Asterina Starfish

I leave them alone. There are mixed opinions about them.
Thanks Kenn. They are officially citizens of my tank now!


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Offline Humphrey

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2016, 07:10:40 »
They can explode though. Once had hundreds, so I got a harlequin shrimp which eraticated them in about 6 months.  Manual removal works too if the numbers are reasonable.

Offline mtamorrow

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2016, 08:15:17 »
They can explode though. Once had hundreds, so I got a harlequin shrimp which eraticated them in about 6 months.  Manual removal works too if the numbers are reasonable.
Why is there never just an easy answer in this hobby? ::)

Thanks Humphrey.......I have only seen 1 so far........but now i'm looking hard!
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Offline kellyj

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2016, 08:21:49 »
Mike,
If you're going to try to remove them, let your glass get a little dirty and they will come.  It's easier to see and catch them from the glass than on the rocks or sand.
Kelly

Offline soldiers4christ50

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2016, 09:43:26 »
I'd go with harlequin shrimp. I loved mine. You will have to feed it a chocolate chip star or another type of starfish once all those are gone if you want to keep it alive.

Offline mtamorrow

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2016, 10:02:15 »
Mike,
If you're going to try to remove them, let your glass get a little dirty and they will come.  It's easier to see and catch them from the glass than on the rocks or sand.
Kelly
Thanks Kelly......the voice of experience!


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Offline mtamorrow

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #12 on: September 30, 2016, 10:04:03 »
I'd go with harlequin shrimp. I loved mine. You will have to feed it a chocolate chip star or another type of starfish once all those are gone if you want to keep it alive.
That would be a cool way to go. I'm in a wait and see mode now as I have seen 2 so far, but not sure if it was the same one or not


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Offline Steve

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #13 on: September 30, 2016, 19:00:47 »
Unless they are harming corals, they are just another part of the CUC. I have had them in my tank since the beginning. They seem to come and go population wise, no doubt based on food availability. Right now I hardly ever see one.

Offline mtamorrow

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Re: Help with starfish ID
« Reply #14 on: September 30, 2016, 19:17:37 »
Unless they are harming corals, they are just another part of the CUC. I have had them in my tank since the beginning. They seem to come and go population wise, no doubt based on food availability. Right now I hardly ever see one.
Thanks Steve. I've decided to watch and see. Gonna keep my eyes on the zoa's for sure and as long as they behave they can stay.


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