Chocolate Chip Starfish eating coralline algae?

[Daverman]

When I woke up this morning, I noticed a white bare circular spot (about size of a quarter) on one my live rocks, which was supposed to be covered with purple coralline algae. It's not very sightly to see. I suspect that my 6" chocolate chip starfish is responsible for this because it literally eats everything (is also very fond of algae). But, I've never heard of any incidence where it actually feeds on coralline algae. Is this possible? Or is there something wrong with my water parameters? I wonder why this happened.

 

[MonoSebaelover]

What are your water parameters? Generally CCS are predatory not veggetarian. If there is noting else for him to feed on (no supplemental feeding) then he probably will get anything he can get. Try feeding some fresh Scallops, Shrimp, Crab, etc. and he should stop this destructive behavior.

 

[Boogiechillin]

Starfish don't have the mouthpieces necessary to scrape off coralline algae. It takes a pretty strong rasping ability to get at coralline, and only animals like chitons and urchins can reliably munch it. I would look and see where your pH, alkalinity, and calcium levels are standing...it's usually a misbalance between these three factors that causes a loss of coralline.