how do i get rid of those tiny starfish?

[ynot reef]

i have two sand sifters tho. any solutions? besides grabbing them as i see them? please lmk thanks

 

[NaH2O]

Are you talking about the asterina stars? It can be a daunting task if you don't want to use harlequin shrimp. Unless they are causing problems, I'd just leave them alone, but that's my opinion.

 

[Red C Aquarium]

take the star fish out of the tank.
dip your rock and they will come out , and then you sell them haha.
we buy these from customers ,many people like these stars.
Great workers.

 

[Reefbound]

I have so many I bought a Harlequin shrimp to help control them... I actually may have to buy another... anyone want some asterina stars I have many.

 

[burning2nd]

i also have meny.... my sgt major eats the hell outta em.... they know to not come out.

 

[Shaunalynna]

i have two sand sifters tho. any solutions? besides grabbing them as i see them? please lmk thanks

Hmm a solution? Send some to me :lol: I don't have any yet and think there adorable!

 

[ynot reef]

i was thinking about a harlequin shrimp but it will eat my sand sifters too right? does harlequin shrimp mess with other inverts? i have a cleaner shrimp, hermits and turbos? lmk thanks

 

[Reefbound]

i was thinking about a harlequin shrimp but it will eat my sand sifters too right? does harlequin shrimp mess with other inverts? i have a cleaner shrimp, hermits and turbos? lmk thanks

His main diet is the starfish. He's like a Mandarin with their specialized diet. I have not seen mine with anything other than a starfish in his grasp... muhahahaahah...... About you sandsifters? if you want to keep them then maybe the Harlequin shrimp wouldnt be for you because they eat the star fish tube feet... its a specialized diet.

 

[BBurrows13]

Removing them can be a difficult task....you may have to remove your rock in order to catch them...

 

[Sascha D]

Why would you want to remove them? I had hundreds in my old sump and I thought they were kinda cool to look at hehe.

 

[returnofsid]

I also wonder why you want to remove them? Asterinas aren't damaging at all, and are in fact a beneficial part of your tank's clean up crew.

 

[ynot reef]

well i have a pipe organ and i started seeing the them on it. now the organs dont come out the pipes anymore. and i've heard of them eating sps before. was wondering if thats true? i've checked everything and all is well. all the other corals and fish are doing great. i think its eating my pipe organ.

 

[balogh03]

I have so many I bought a Harlequin shrimp to help control them... I actually may have to buy another... anyone want some asterina stars I have many.

I deffenently wouldn't get another...Give hime time and he will get them under control. In my 240gal I had 1000's and so I got a harlequin. Now a year later I purchase a cheap ($8.99) starfish every other week. It is a pain and extra expense, but he is cool .

I just couldn't see having two to feed.

Good luck though,

-augustus

 

[Sascha D]

well i have a pipe organ and i started seeing the them on it. now the organs dont come out the pipes anymore. and i've heard of them eating sps before. was wondering if thats true? i've checked everything and all is well. all the other corals and fish are doing great. i think its eating my pipe organ.

I've never had a problem with any corals being eatten by them. You may want to check for other causes before you just start pointing random fingers at everything in there.

 

[DonW]

They will bother corals if the population gets to high and the food sources get low. You can get them under control by lowing nutrient and manually remove part of the population. I'd like to have some of them if you decide to siphon them out. Pm me if you want to get rid of some.

Don

 

[ynot reef]

if anybody wants some let me know. theyre free. before tuesday because i'm moving my livestock into my new tank and they probably wont come out for a while. i'm available after 8pm from fri-mon. i work all day on the weekends. let me know thanks

 

[reefgirl78]

Hi,

I have a crap load of those little suckers. They ate 2 frogspawn of mine over the course of a week-positive. I am now having to buy harlequin's to get rid of them. Trust me guys you do not want to deal with these things. I thought the same thing until they got out of control within 3 weeks. Now they cover the glass partially, and the corals and rocks partially. They seem to not have a taste for the softies though. If you have them in your tank you need to have a "controller". They are like having aptasia in your tank- you think it would be cool to have one not knowing, then poof you have a million little monstors.

Not trying to be a downer just giving the facts. I would just hate to have anyone else go through what I am going through.

 

[burning2nd]

an angry sargent major will keep them in hideing,

 

[Herefishyfishy]

If anyone wants to mail me their's just LMK.
My harlys love them.

 

[luke33]

Most are harmless few are coral eaters. You just have to watch them. If they get to populated get a harlequim shrimp, and get a cucumber as your starfish will be done sifting shortly : P