What kind of baby starfish is this?

[Aeridne]

Hey can anyone ID this starfish? the legs look to short to me to be a sandsifter, and it's also eating my green slimer............ which bleached.......

 

 

thanks!

[Jacobnano]

ID thread.....

 

 

Asterina.

[Psychosis]

Its actually not a baby, its a species of asterina star. They reporduce often by splitting, and don't often have 5 legs (thats actually odd.)

 

There are a few species that do harm coral, how ever there generally harmless. If its bugging your slimer on the other hand, I'd recomend removing it this time.

 

At a glance, any way.

[Aeridne]

yeah, I don't think its an Asterina... because I have those and brittle stars in my tank as well. This guy has always had 5 legs to my knowledge.

 

Though you guys are right, it does look a lot like them. Just the biggest one I've seen... it's larger than a dime.

[JMAdams]

Looks like an asterina to me too.

[lakshwadeep]

Asterinids (the family, not just the genus Asterina) can have five legs:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rs/index.php

[northstar1357]

it looks like its eating ur SPS

[Aeridne]

thanks for the article link lak, it does seem to be of that family.

 

And I think it was eating the coral. I'm going to donate it to my lfs most likely as I don't have a sump to stick it in yet.

[megan]

thanks for the article link lak, it does seem to be of that family.

 

And I think it was eating the coral. I'm going to donate it to my lfs most likely as I don't have a sump to stick it in yet.

 

 

too big for your basic asterina

[nemmy]

Are you sure its not just eating the algae off of an already dead acro?

 

Im not an SPS expert, but that thing doesnt look like it has any flesh on it to me. Anyone confirm that or deny it?

[cruiZe]

most symmetrical asterina (ish) star i've ever seen. But if its eating your coral, ditch it. Maybe its just eating the algae... hmmm

[~Reefur~]

most symmetrical asterina (ish) star i've ever seen. But if its eating your coral, ditch it. Maybe its just eating the algae... hmmm

 

Its identical to one that I tossed into my sump, took awhile and some looking. Asterina.

 

Mine had yellow/tan blotches and the end of each leg. I can't tell does yours ?

[Aeridne]

The ends of it's feet are slightly yellow/tan.. I think it's definitely in the family of asterina, but possibly not the common kind we all typically think of.. it grew at a very fast rate too... and it keeps growing. Just last week, it was at least a third smaller than it is now....

 

Yeah, the green slimer was mostly bleached already, but there was some flesh still on it and even some polyp extension on the unbleached part, on the ends.. so the star was definitely munching on it....

 

I thought it was maybe a chocolate star that hadn't grown it's chips yet.. but I don't know much about them other than what they look like fully grown and that they aren't reef safe.

 

thanks for all the input guys

[StevieT]

A+ thumbs up etc on the good pics for once

 

your SPS is gone....

[cheryl jordan]

I would not care if it was reef safe or not, that starfish would be out of my tank ASAP in the sump or sewer tour. If there is even the slightest chance it eats SPS ,and some do, I am not taking it.

[Deleted User 6]

asterina. eating the rotting/dying SPS flesh. probably harmless.

[cheryl jordan]

http://www.3reef.com/forums/coral-health/p...sh-33881-2.html

 

 

 

Great link,provided by lakshwadeep, in the article towards the bottom, it speculates that approx 5% of asterina are coral eaters. You always take some chances with reef tanks, but I try to avoid the ones with the possibility of bad outcomes.

 

I agree most asterina are opportunistic eaters, I think some may develop a taste for SPS and other corals.

That is not a chance I am willing to take with my sps or other corals.

I would love to have a bunch in a species tank, but in my reef no go, there are way too many different types.