Reef pests? Also a hello

[sedrostyle]

Hello everyone, I've been gone a while... ( just busy with life )

As you may know, I was having some serious water issues at the new place, and Im glad to say that I have finally found my balance again.
Its really hard with the tank being in the garage, I miss it being in the living room at the old house.
Anyway

I should say first I really think there should be a " reef pest " section in the general discussion area. We've all had our " issues " and I have tried using the search engine and haven't came up with much ( within the site )

So I suppose I could always do my research on the internet and find the same answers, but what fun would that be not talking to you all..??

I've been noticing little starfish in my tank... tried picking them out... Are they a pest? I notice that they are... ( from what I think ) eating away at my coralign algae? is this true?

Also Have notices these ...... " crustations "? Maybe I should look up the definition of that before I say Crustation but that's what they look like... A oblong hard shell maybe the size 3mm maybe ? Idk super small though.


Also because of my water issue, I have a MASSIVE aptasia issue :/ tried boiling water... ( i think it made it worse. ) Haven't gotten around to peppermints. Tried a matted file fish that ended up nipping at my coral. Next check I will be buying a BIG bottle of aptashia X. I've used it before and got rid of the problem, but you know how that goes..
Anyone know any other tricks besides that stuff?

Anyway. If anything else comes up I will be sure to come here... Sorry for those of you who know me I haven't been very social

Looking forward to growing together ( tanks too ):rockon:

-Steven

 

[NanaReefer]

Asterina Stars, and yes they are eating your coralline. As long as they are *solid white* you should have no issues.

I'm thinking Amphipods for your lil crustaceans

AptasiaX or a Majano Wand has worked for me.


Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk

 

[bearjohnson]

+1^

Asterina Stars generally start to grow in numbers when there is an abundance of debris in the tank.

I had the same issue not too long ago. I saw a couple on the glass every so often and didn't pay much attention to them. Then what seemed like an over night craze, I began seeing a LOT of them all over the glass in the morning. They won't bother your corals but their population can explode if not kept in check. I was scooping them out in the morning by running a net along the glass and at times I was extracting 15 to 20 at a clip. Finally I bought a Harlequin Shrimp and he's been munching on them ever since.

 

[NemCrazy]

I have a couple hundred of those stars. Maybe I should get a harlequin shrimp. I love those things I just didn't want to buy starfish to feed them. But if they eat the asterinas, which have never caused me any problem, they all will be good.
I bought one peppermint shrimp to clear out a couple aptasia and it worked like charm. Not all peppermints eat aptasia but it worked for me. That and with all the anemones I have I think the big nems chemical signature keeps them from reappearing. It's good to hear back from you though

 

[sedrostyle]

Thanks Paul. I will look into the harlequin shrimp... That'd be a awesome way to get rid of them.
Im pretty sure they are all white... I take tweazers and pull out maybe 10 or so everytime I remember to look for them... Or recently ( look at my rock
I myself have had bad luck with pep shrimp... ( the one time I tried I guess haha )
My clown fish torchored the first one... right to death.
The second one after I pull out the first he began to drag it around the tank. I turned out the lights covered it with a towel. He still got the best of him.
It was probably the fastest 25 dollars I've spent in my tank haha.
Thanks Nana

I will take alook at the " majano wand " My aptashia X in the past has worked awesome. I need to order a big bottle online but I cannot wait anylonger.

 

[jmp21677]

Harlequin shrimp work great to get rid of the starfish. He will end up eating all of them so you'll have to get him chocolate chip stars eventually.

 

[Scampy]

I had few tiny white ones when I started my tank. After letting them multiply into the 100's, a few got larger and turned a tan/brown color and grew to the size of a dime. Those larger ones started chewing on corals. I took out as many big ones out as I could and got a harley. In 3 or 4 months those little buggers were gone! Coolest critter I ever bought! I'll dig up some pics in a little while.
PS...thats him in my avatar lol

 

[sedrostyle]

JMP- The big chocolate ones!! wow... Will he kill it off or will he just nibble adn the starfish will be able to regrow.

I've looked at the H shrimp before and now I remember why I didn't get them... You had to feed them starfish specificly... But now, maybe they 'll have a chance
Bought some aptasia X today, hopefully I can get rid of one thing at a time. Water quality is doing alot better, so hopefully husbandry will help me out again.
I will be able to replace some of the corals that have melted or faded, My sps had some die off also.
All is well though, its on a road to recovery. Hoping with this new job I'll get some LEDS finally and I won't have to worry as much.


Thanks for all the info.

 

[Scampy]

The tiny white asterinas were pretty harmless for me. They chewed on coraline a bit but never killed any corals. Here is a pic of the ones that did the damage.



As for damage, they liked zoas most and then trees. Heres a tree getting chewed off the glass

IMAG0838 by SaltyDawg_2009, on Flickr

And I pulled one off a palau green tree and this is what it looked like after

IMAG0323 by SaltyDawg_2009, on Flickr

So to say the least...I dont like 'em
If you can put a couple CC stars in a sump, you can just chop off a piece of leg and feed Harlequin weekly. Throw star back in sump.

 

[NanaReefer]

Yup those be the bad ones!!


Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk

 

[pinkfloydfan]

Hello everyone, I've been gone a while... ( just busy with life )

As you may know, I was having some serious water issues at the new place, and Im glad to say that I have finally found my balance again.
Its really hard with the tank being in the garage, I miss it being in the living room at the old house.
Anyway

I should say first I really think there should be a " reef pest " section in the general discussion area. We've all had our " issues " and I have tried using the search engine and haven't came up with much ( within the site )
The general discussion is the best for traffic.
So I suppose I could always do my research on the internet and find the same answers, but what fun would that be not talking to you all..??
You are on the internet! (ha, ha).
I've been noticing little starfish in my tank... tried picking them out... Are they a pest? I notice that they are... ( from what I think ) eating away at my coralign algae? is this true?
They won't consume much, if any Coraline, they stick to diatoms and the Green types. The stars are beneficial, don't take them out.
Also Have notices these ...... " crustations "? Maybe I should look up the definition of that before I say Crustation but that's what they look like... A oblong hard shell maybe the size 3mm maybe ? Idk super small though.
Those sound like Copepods and are desired in the aquarium.

Also because of my water issue, I have a MASSIVE aptasia issue :/ tried boiling water... ( i think it made it worse. ) Haven't gotten around to peppermints. Tried a matted file fish that ended up nipping at my coral. Next check I will be buying a BIG bottle of aptashia X. I've used it before and got rid of the problem, but you know how that goes..
Anyone know any other tricks besides that stuff?
Yes, AiptasiaX or Joes' Juice (what I would use).
Anyway. If anything else comes up I will be sure to come here... Sorry for those of you who know me I haven't been very social

Looking forward to growing together ( tanks too ):rockon:

-Steven

Hope I gave you useful information and have a great Independence Day!

 

[TJL]

Hey Steven, nice to have you back bud. Glad to see you're getting the reef back in shape. Let me know when you're ready for some new Corals, still growing like weeds in my tank.

Cheers, Todd

 

[sedrostyle]

Todd! I saw your " rescape " hahah looks very nice, I couldn't imagine doing that!

Scampy - I will have to look into the stars, I HPOE they're the white ones. Pretty sure they are, but I remember them having some dark spots on some of the bigger ones. Definitly not the size of a quarter.

Thanks again everyone.