6-Arm Starfish?!

[Robster]

just got my tank up, and had several little hitch-hikers, including a christmas rock with about 20 different colored worms, 3 baby feather dusters, couple baby snails, a little tiny fat starfish (common one I think), then yesterday I saw a little baby starfish on the glass!! His markings look like the pictures of fancy brittle stars that I have seen, but I counted SIX ARMS on him!! (unless I was delerious)

 

Any thoughts as to what kind it could be?? I should have shot a pic of him, but I didn't think about it fast enough, now I'm not sure where he is hidding Next time he pokes his head out, I'll have to snap a pic

 

I've added "cycle" solution to the tank to try and keep the cycle from spiking ammonia and killing everything, and I added a little chormis fish to help any thoughts of what to do to keep all these amazing hitch-hikers alive till the tank gets established?? it has been up for 3 1/2 days, I got an ammonia measurement of .25ppm at one point, but now it seems to be at 0 or close to it.

pH 7.9 to 8.3 (I've used some buffer in it, and it will climb to 8.3 then after several hours slip to 8.17-8.21, then slips down to the 7.9 range)

dkH 10-11

ammonia 0 - .25ppm

nitrite 0ppm

nitrate 5-10ppm (color in-between those two on the chart)

 

had to do about a 13% water change after 1 1/2days due to some changes in rockscape, had to drain out some water and didn't have enough buckets to hold all the water I drained out

 

everything is alive and kickin but not sure of the best way to proceed...any thoughts??

-R

[Juanhunglo69]

Asterina starfish more than likely. I have a bunch and they don't mess with my stuff. Do a search and read up. Some people don't like em but they are a good addition for your cuc.

[rayraynlindy]

just got my tank up, and had several little hitch-hikers, including a christmas rock with about 20 different colored worms, 3 baby feather dusters, couple baby snails, a little tiny fat starfish (common one I think), then yesterday I saw a little baby starfish on the glass!! His markings look like the pictures of fancy brittle stars that I have seen, but I counted SIX ARMS on him!! (unless I was delerious)

 

Any thoughts as to what kind it could be?? I should have shot a pic of him, but I didn't think about it fast enough, now I'm not sure where he is hidding Next time he pokes his head out, I'll have to snap a pic

 

I've added "cycle" solution to the tank to try and keep the cycle from spiking ammonia and killing everything, and I added a little chormis fish to help any thoughts of what to do to keep all these amazing hitch-hikers alive till the tank gets established?? it has been up for 3 1/2 days, I got an ammonia measurement of .25ppm at one point, but now it seems to be at 0 or close to it.

pH 7.9 to 8.3 (I've used some buffer in it, and it will climb to 8.3 then after several hours slip to 8.17-8.21, then slips down to the 7.9 range)

dkH 10-11

ammonia 0 - .25ppm

nitrite 0ppm

nitrate 5-10ppm (color in-between those two on the chart)

 

had to do about a 13% water change after 1 1/2days due to some changes in rockscape, had to drain out some water and didn't have enough buckets to hold all the water I drained out

 

everything is alive and kickin but not sure of the best way to proceed...any thoughts??

-R

I had on of those that came in on rock and it slowly but surely ate all the red sponge that was growing on one of my rocks. I asked the LFS about them and he proceeded to walk me to their "problem creature tank" and point one out to me. He then stated that it will eat certain corals. Next he pulled the thing out of the tank and chucked it into a nearby garbage can. So I guess that is how he feels about those little things.

[mandarin dragonet]

ahhhhh well. hope you DESTROY it