Baby Starfish

[robeterl]

For weeks I have had one of those baby starfish. I didn't think it was an issue since my wife loves him. This morning however I found an additional two starfish. My questions are:

Is this a sign of things to come?

Is this a bad thing, and if so what can I do about this?

Water Parameters

Salinity: 1.025
pH: 8.4
NH3:0
NO2:0
NO3:0

 

[little_fish]

The baby starfish is actually an asternia (sp?) starfish. They wont get any bigger and in some tanks they can become a pest eating soft corals.

 

[salt_for_brains]

I read somewhere there were a couple differnet species of the asternia, one that was totally harmless and one that MIGHT eat soft corals but generally it is the harmless species found in our tanks. I have a lot of them and have never seen any issues with mine.

 

[little_fish]

I think what happens is that they run out of the film algae they normally eat, and then turn to eating corals. I had no problems with them for a long time, but then I had a huge population and no algae to speak of and then they started eating my corals.

 

[reefnoob]

But how would they reproduce if there was only one???

 

[chichimom79]

division or budding

 

[Cheeser]

harlequin shrimp are good at hunting them down if they take over ur tank. but after they run out of starfish the shrimp will die because...that's all they eat...starfish.

 

[Roach]

Hi I just saw your post are the stars grey and white ?

 

[robeterl]

yes, more white

 

[sen5241b]

They are a pest. Not a dangerous one but still a pest.I picked every single one out with tweezers. It took months and you really gotta be vigilante. The come out moreso at night.