Star Fish Infestation

jwill · 10-17-2008, 03:15 PM

My 125 tank is infested with the small sea stars. I've removed more than one hundred in the last two weeks and I'm certain there are as many still in the tank. They are consuming the corraline algae on my LR to the point that some of the rock is pure white.

I'm thinking of using Harlequin shrimp but I will first have to remove my Flame Hawkfish or the shrimp won't last two minutes in the tank. Does anyone have any other solutions and how long will it take for two shrimp to bring the starfish under control?

Thanks

BigAl07 · 10-17-2008, 03:52 PM

Are you sure THEY are doing it? Make sure you're not simply removing "Micro-brittle stars" from your tank. They are detritus eaters and VERY good for the tank as a whole.

jwill · 10-17-2008, 04:05 PM

I've been reluctant to remove them for more than 6 months now, for the very reasons you state. I've been checking the tank at night with a flashlight and they come out at night in droves all over the rock. I have some corraling covered sea shells and you can see where they have eaten the algae, the shapes of the white shell match their shapes and sizes. I am convinced that they are the culprit!

BigAl07 · 10-17-2008, 04:21 PM

Aaahhhh I think you may be describing asteria (sp?) stars. I'll be right back with links...

BigAl07 · 10-17-2008, 04:24 PM

I was CLOSE on the spelling but OFF!!

AsterinaFAQs

cbrownfish · 10-18-2008, 12:06 AM

You talkin' about these pretty little snowflakes?

jhnrb · 10-18-2008, 06:05 PM

Here is a link that should help with your question.

AsterinaFAQs

10-17-2008, 03:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
jwill Tunicate Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 15 View Gallery Karma Komment	Star Fish Infestation My 125 tank is infested with the small sea stars. I've removed more than one hundred in the last two weeks and I'm certain there are as many still in the tank. They are consuming the corraline algae on my LR to the point that some of the rock is pure white. I'm thinking of using Harlequin shrimp but I will first have to remove my Flame Hawkfish or the shrimp won't last two minutes in the tank. Does anyone have any other solutions and how long will it take for two shrimp to bring the starfish under control? Thanks

10-17-2008, 03:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Star Fish Infestation Are you sure THEY are doing it? Make sure you're not simply removing "Micro-brittle stars" from your tank. They are detritus eaters and VERY good for the tank as a whole. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

10-17-2008, 04:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
jwill Tunicate Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 15 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Star Fish Infestation I've been reluctant to remove them for more than 6 months now, for the very reasons you state. I've been checking the tank at night with a flashlight and they come out at night in droves all over the rock. I have some corraling covered sea shells and you can see where they have eaten the algae, the shapes of the white shell match their shapes and sizes. I am convinced that they are the culprit!

10-17-2008, 04:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Star Fish Infestation Aaahhhh I think you may be describing asteria (sp?) stars. I'll be right back with links... __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

10-17-2008, 04:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Star Fish Infestation I was CLOSE on the spelling but OFF!! AsterinaFAQs __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

10-18-2008, 12:06 AM	#6 (permalink)
cbrownfish Reef Lobster Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,633 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Star Fish Infestation You talkin' about these pretty little snowflakes? __________________ *Confucius Say: "best way to save face, is to keep lower part of face shut".* CURRENT SET UP -- 90 gallon display, 30 gallon refugium, 6 gallon pod breeder, 100 gallon sump (complete with frag rack), 2X250 MH 14K DE HQI, Vortech MP40w and Koralia #4 for flow, 2X Tunze 9010 Skimmers, Sequence Dart return, 2X Ranco Controllers w/Titanium Heaters, 150 lb LR (90 in display, 60 in sump), 5" DSB, Mixed reef - Softies, LPS, SPS, Clams.

10-18-2008, 06:05 PM	#7 (permalink)
jhnrb Scopas Tang Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Eureka, CALIF. Posts: 496 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Star Fish Infestation Here is a link that should help with your question. AsterinaFAQs

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