Asternia Starfish

Almondsaz

Almondsaz

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May 26, 2007
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Has anyone discovered a natural way to reduce the population of asternia starfish in a reef tank. My current method is to physically remove them from the system, but they are everywhere. I was wondering if they have a natural predator, like a Harlequin Shrimp?

Appreciate the help.
 
Ace/Reefscape: do either of you have experience with the harlequins that you can relate? I wonder how voracious an eater they are. I have in excess of 100 asternia so don't know how long that would keep the HS busy/fed before I had to come up with a CCstar diet.
 
Yup, seen a pair of em go through about 4000 in less than 60 days. I had one, and it went through about 300 in 3 weeks. I ended up just taking it back after he solved the problem because I didn't want to spend $7 for a CC starfish every couple weeks just to feed the shrimp.
 
I have one in my 10 gallon and i get him about 50 or so a week from the store that I work at. 100 shouldn't take one that long...
 
Thanks all for the information, really appreciate the insights.
 
Well, I got the HS and he hasn't desemated the asternia population yet. I either underestimated the total number in the tank or he isn't as hungry as I expected. I have 'fed' him some of the asternia and he eats them, but I have a ton on the back of my tank. 6 feet long so maybe my count was wrong. Some have gotten fairly large - nickel size.
 
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