d*mn !!! All me Xenia has been eaten!

[Sahin]

OK, past two days I started seeing bits of my Xenia go missing....

 

I thought it was perhaps just came off and dropped somewhere behind some rocks...

 

This morning, the biggest frag which was definately attached, is missing...where it was attached to, is left, the base of the Xenia.  It looks like its been eaten off.

 

d*mn it!  Those small Xenia frags cost me £10 and I also have a coral eater in the tank.

 

I am pretty sure its the orange fromia starfish.  I only also have a skunk cleaner shrimp as well, but I doubt its him.

 

Anyone have any ideas.

I am well ####ed off now. :angryfire:

[byrself]

stars are always suspect imo.  

 

cleaner shrimp aren't known to eat corals right?  i got two in my tank.  if they are, they are outta there?

[Sahin]

I highly doubt its the cleaner shrimp.  Its like no way.

 

But starfish....I think its him.

I am just waiting to see what others have to say on this.

[Strife]

it has already been stated that starfish is not recommended for nano

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/critters.htm

[Sahin]

Stryf3:  I know, but it doesnt state any particular species, and the species I have is said to be reef safe.

 

I am trying to figure out what caused this, and if it was the starfish or not.

 

I would really appreciate some info from those who owns these starfish or know about them.

 

Thanks.

[MKramer]

If you weren't supplementing the starfish's diet, he could have gotten hungry enough for coral snacks.I don't think there's any starfish that can be called flat-out reef-safe.  Even the "safe" ones should be called "Reef-safe with caution."  

 

If they can't get the food they want, they *will* look for substitutes, and soft corals are quite attractive.  The solution here is to make sure they have what they want.  In the case of fromia stars, you can get them to eat quite a few things.  Dried nori, small chunks of clam or mussel, and algae feeder tablets are good options.  Put some on the sand, then plop the starfish on top of it, with his mouth dead-center over the food, and they'll usually gobble it up (especially the meatier stuff, as it's more recognizable as food).

 

The same problem actually does apply to cleaner shrimp, who have ben known to feed on corals and other critters when hungry.  Another former poster here, Delph, lost an awesome coco worm due to a ####y cleaner shrimp.

 

Make sure everything has food.  

 

(Edited by MKramer at 12:08 pm on June 25, 2002)

[Sahin]

Thanks for your input Mkramer.

 

I am guessing its the starfishes fault.

I suppose I have not been providing enopugh food for him.

I will see how it goes.

 

I also thought about the possibility of a hitchhiker crab, though I havent seen one, could be the case.

 

I guess I will have to wait and see.

If I come up with anything conclusive, I'll make a post as its all part of the learning process and experiance in reef keeping.

 

Thanks.

[MKramer]

My guess is that you're probably right about the starfish.

 

But I had a similar problem with a hitchhiker crab eating my sun coral, but it was over a week before I actually discovered him.  Fast little sucker that only came out during the darkest of hours.  Even once we discovered him, it tooks weeks to actually catch the guy.

 

I would protect the remaining Xenia (if any) with strawberry baskets or something similar, and try feeding the starfish directly.  If it readily accepts the food, then I would try to make a habit of such feedings (1x weekly).

 

There's still a chance that it's the shrimp, but if you see them eating anything else, then they're probably in the clear.

 

Matthew