Hitch Hiker Star Reef Safe?

[TomD]

This appeared in my tank. Is this an Asterina? If so, is it reef safe? I have heard conflicting opinions. I was thinking of putting in the fuge. What do you all think?



Thanks

 

[smcnally]

It seems Asterinas can be fine and can also feast on certain corals. I found one chowing on my kenya tree.

 

[TomD]

I remember you posted this question last week Steve. I just didn't know if this was Asterina for sure. Do you think I can put it in the fuge? I read they reproduce very fast and I am sure it could crawl up into the tank because I use a HOB.

 

[Jim Tansey]

If you see one you can be sure you have many more.

Jim

 

[TomD]

No Jim, it came in last night on a frag

 

[smcnally]

I'd ditch it. It is considered a pest in my book.

 

[vass]

I was infeasted with those guys, I never found out exactly what they were but I could see twenty min. at night. They would wrap around my zoo's and crawl over my lps's. Whatever area they had been on at night wouldnt fully open the next day. Harlequin took care of them all in about three weeks.

 

[mloebl]

I went thru a cycle with them for a few months where there were quite a few of them, and now they are virtually all gone. I'll see one from time to time. I think when I added the sump and the amount of available algae dropped, they started to die off.

-Mike

 

[sbertomen]

Someone ID'd one of those in my tank as a corraline algae eater - and sure enough after finding one, I found a dozen surrounded by what looked like bleached out corraline on my glass. I now suck them up when I do a water change, they are slowly going away.

 

[NateHanson]

My tank had many and I never had a problem with them. I consider them good reef diversity.

 

[Chris L]

i have hundreds of these with no ill effects. free clean-up crew ( mini size )

 

[S Hunter]

i never had them in my main tank but have seen them in my sump, i just looked i cant see a one... SUMP food

 

[Duds]

i have a few of those in my tank to never experienced any problems with them
Duds

 

[RayD]

I have bunches of them too. No ill effects to report.

I kind of like them!