Six Sided Star Thingy

[marcoz]

I have tiny six sided star shaped ......? that appear in numbers on the glass from time to time, any ideas what they might be?

[marcoz]

Oh, they are cream in colour.. well, off white, if that's a colour? Hey, I don't know, I'm a guy.. and colour blind! :shock:

[Reefer]

Check out my post called Friend or Foe? in the Echinoderms section of this forum.
Hope it helps

[Macca]

yep agreed! I am thinking from the info given it sounds like an echinoderm. Most echinoderm as a rule have 5 segments. One of the exceptions is the asternia star.


http://www.garf.org/STAR/starfish444385.jpg

Pic from www.garf.org

These wee guys literaly tear them selves apart when reproducing and can really have any number of legs.

James

[marcoz]

Ok thanks :grin:

[marcoz]

...So it seems I'm not alone. Are these asternias common? Sounds like a possible hitchhiker :waiting: If I chose to rid the tank of them what gobbles them up? :Thinking:

[Macca]

I believe a harlequin shrimp will eat them but they will also eat other starfish. If you are positive they are being distructive I would personally remove them 1 by 1. You will through time stop them multiplying.


James

[marcoz]

hmmm.. harlequin shrimp hey, do you have any? I don't have any other starfish so it wouldn't be a problem. I've heard that certain species of starfish gobble up asternias too, do you know which ones and do you stock them? ...just looking at my options :wink:

[newkidfish]

we had the asterinas come with some live rock, I notice you are in bournemouth, perhaps we use the same LFS? We have eradicated ours by careful tweezering when spotted. But you must make sure you dont split them in two as they multipy that way. :wink:

[Macca]

we can bring harlequin shrimps in by pre order but what will they feed on once you have got rid of your pesty stars? Dont know about the predator starfish will need a species name as I havent heard this before.

James

[marcoz]

hey newkid :wink: so what's your LFS?

[newkidfish]

Marcos, for fish usually go to Maidenhead - wyvale garden centre wimborne,
For odd dry goods Southern Aquatics - Poole
And my daughters tank came from World of Water - Romsey (but it's a bit far to travel for the odd item/fish)
Also use internet now for fish stuff :-D (posting away to earn my reefcritters discount :lol: :lol: )

[marcoz]

Cool, I tend to use the Romsey one a fair bit because I'm not too keen on my LFS in Eastleigh. Plus a mate works there - discount!! :-D