baby starfish EXPLOSION??

[meshman10]

as most of you know I'm up gradeing to a 90 gal ,my question is that, in my 55 I've had a baby star fish boom (I think it started in like early december) I do NOT want to transfer this problem to the new tank.. any thought's?? got a HARLIQUIN not sure if he can keep up . I moved 1 rock over yesterday and today picked 6 baby's off the glass.GRRRRRR :frustrat:

 

[andysgirl8800]

Get another Harlequin? :)

 

[Bifferwine]

They don't sound like baby starfish. They sound like asterina starfish.

Most asterinas are harmless, but they can make the tank look uglier if they are covering everything. The harlequin should do a good job taking them out. You can also remove them by hand (tweezers work pretty well).

When you move your rock over, you can do a quick freshwater dip for each rock. If it's just for a few seconds, it won't hurt the stuff living on the rock, but if you do a quick shake of the rock, most of the stars should drop off.

 

[Rcpilot]

I suck asterina stars out with a turkey baster.

They are white and sometimes have a gray/brown pattern on their back or spots. Some have light blue pigment on their back with gray/brown mottling/spots over the top. Biggest one I sucked out of my tank was about 3/4" across.

They eat coraline like crazy. I hate em. I had a massive population explosion some time back. I have been sucking them out with the turkey baster for at least 6 months. I see fewer and fewer all the time, but I don't think I'll ever get rid of all them.

........ of course, I AM selling off those rocks and breaking down that tank........ :mrgreen:

 

[yote]

I dont even worry about what few of those I have in my tank.There will usually be 3 or 4 on the glass when the lights come on,but it dont take long for them to hide.

 

[dcantucson]

When I first started I actually purchased some of these from the LFS. I thought they were really cute and they told me that they were Caribbean Mini Stars. Duh!

 

[Bifferwine]

Hahaha, David you're such a sucker!!

 

[dcantucson]

I was a newbie. I didn't know. I trusted them. It was the FS on North Campbell, that went out of business. That'll teach them. :grumble:

 

[Bifferwine]

Hehehehe. By FS I assume you mean "Flatworm Store"?? :D

 

[dcantucson]

I guess I'm lucky I didn't get any of those. But I never bought any coral from them. They were always presold. Gosh, I hated that place.

 

[andysgirl8800]

I have a pretty shady LFS in my town too. I usually try to avoid the place altogether, but I needed a couple of peppermints to tackle some aiptasia and they were the only one open. I walked over to one of the tanks with the owner and she moves this rock where the peps are hiding. Out floats this half putrid hippo tang corpse and the owner says "oh! looks like that tang didn't make it." I was so angry and disgusted. I paid for my shrimp and got the hell outta Dodge.

 

[dcantucson]

I have never understood why or how a LFS can just leave a dead fish in the tank. Don't they realize what a turn off it is to their customers.

 

[Bifferwine]

I would never buy a fish from a tank that had a dead body in it! I know that's kind of dumb, since all the fish tanks are connected, but still.

 

[meshman10]

I dont even worry about what few of those I have in my tank.There will usually be 3 or 4 on the glass when the lights come on,but it dont take long for them to hide.

these in the 55 don't hide I'll post a pic tonight..

 

[Bifferwine]

Mine don't hide during the day either. They're out all the time.

 

[meshman10]

so,any thought's on how to at least keep them somewhat in control? I mean I'll buy 5 harliquin's if I have to..:frustrat:

 

[andysgirl8800]

buy 5 harlequins! Honestly though, you can pick them out with tweezers. I would recommend you pluck them quickly before they know you're onto them. Otherwise, they will clamp down onto the surface they are on, and you'll have a harder time removing them. If you can remove any of the rock, you can do the quick freshwater dip too.

 

[Melosu58]

I dont mess with mine either. As a matter of fact I have people ask me for some. They do help keep the glass clean and their numbers can be held in check by keeping their food source low.

 

[kevvin27]

I just found one in my tank today. I thought it was really cool until I just read all of this. Other than eating coraline what do they do? Hope I can find it again to get it out.

 

[yote]

I just found one in my tank today. I thought it was really cool until I just read all of this. Other than eating coraline what do they do? Hope I can find it again to get it out.

I've HEARD people say that some of them will eat corals.Personally,I've never seen ONE on a coral.Mine always seem to gather around spots of film algae.