Asternia starfish

[Chldshrbl]

Read some info on these on a few other Forums some say they are good others say they are bad. By the looks of it they are more opportunistic than anything else. If anyone has any experience with these please post your experience with these starfish wether it's good or bad. I myself have these in my 28 jbj cube and have recently within the last month started noticing them in my 135 reef. I don't have anything bad to say about them personally at least not yet.

 

[Smitty]

The only bad side I see with them is that they multiply like crazy...I've never seen them pick on anything other than coralline algae.

 

[KiLaGo]

Same here, I have only seen them eat coralline algae. I have never seen them on any of my coral.

 

[poidog]

If you want a harlequin shrimp leave them and let them multiply so they have a natural food source. Otherwise remove where you can because the multiply quickly and become an eyesore IMO

 

[fredfish13]

seen good and bad things about them on the internet. I seen a couple in my tank and just throw them out just to be safe.

 

[Chldshrbl]

Since they are now in both my tanks I may let them multiply and get a harlequin for now I've just manually removing them also.

 

[Christina237]

I had one show up in my tank...I was weary but decided to keep an eye on it and so far (about a month) nothing has happened...it cruises around on the glass but doesn't seem to be ruining my corals or anything.

 

[SkullV]

If you want a harlequin shrimp leave them and let them multiply so they have a natural food source. Otherwise remove where you can because the multiply quickly and become an eyesore IMO

Even if your glass in a 6g tank is coated in them, a harli will run out of food in a week.

 

[SkullV]

Even if your glass in a 6g tank is coated in them, a harli will run out of food in a week.

Definitely though the OP was a different person Either way an asternia population won't be enough for a harli long term. You will need to supplement with chocolate chip starfish legs or other types of starfish. Many people keep 4-5 of them in their sump and cut off a leg a week while rotating between starfish. By the time you get back to the first one the legs have generally regrown.

 

[Chldshrbl]

good info to know ty skull