Harlequin shrimp and Asterina Stars

[thresher]

Has anyone had success using Harlequin Shrimp to mow down a population of Asterina Starfish. I noticed they were on a comeback in my tank as the coralline algae has increased. Will the Harlequins actively hunt the starfish down?

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Yep.


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[frodaddy]

They should be on those starfish like a Fat Kid on Birthday Cake !!!

 

[hbtl_ofndr]

So, dumb question, but what is wrong with asterinas? I have a few in the tank and think they are kinda cool, same with the limpets.

 

[wickedfish]

Has anyone had success using Harlequin Shrimp to mow down a population of Asterina Starfish. I noticed they were on a comeback in my tank as the coralline algae has increased. Will the Harlequins actively hunt the starfish down?

A bit. But they do work, sort of. I had way too many to start with

 

[frodaddy]

So, dumb question, but what is wrong with asterinas? I have a few in the tank and think they are kinda cool, same with the limpets.

nothing really !!! Asterinas can just reproduce to out of control numbers and make it hard to clean your glass ..

 

[wickedfish]

And they eat coraline algae, purple stuff on rocks, that's why my purp is weak.

 

[hbtl_ofndr]

And they eat coraline algae, purple stuff on rocks, that's why my purp is weak.

Fine w/ me, way too much purple in my tank anyway! Never thought I'd say that, but I can literally stick something new in my tank and one month later it is fully encrusted.

Do Melenarus Wrasse eat them? I know I have seen it eating my limpets, maybe that's what is keeping the starts in check too?

 

[lurking]

And they eat coraline algae, purple stuff on rocks, that's why my purp is weak.

That and your alk is always 4... Bwahahahahaashkhddjkddhhfcbjm

 

[thresher]

I wish I had that problem. Every time my tank starts getting a good coating of purple, those starfish chomp it all away

Fine w/ me, way too much purple in my tank anyway! Never thought I'd say that, but I can literally stick something new in my tank and one month later it is fully encrusted.

Do Melenarus Wrasse eat them? I know I have seen it eating my limpets, maybe that's what is keeping the starts in check too?

 

[SKremk]

I had what I thought was a pretty big population of asterinas and one harlequin shrimp mowed them down in a couple of months.

 

[hbtl_ofndr]

I wish I had that problem. Every time my tank starts getting a good coating of purple, those starfish chomp it all away

What are your water params? I keep my tank at about 8.3ph, 400 ca and 11-12 dkh. Keep your params there for about a month, then take (or buy) a piece of rock with thick coraline growth and seed your tank by scraping the rock into your tank.

 

[hbtl_ofndr]

I had what I thought was a pretty big population of asterinas and one harlequin shrimp mowed them down in a couple of months.

What happened to him after the stars were gone? harlequin shrimp are so cool looking, but would be lunch in my tank in 2 minutes...

 

[SKremk]

What happened to him after the stars were gone? harlequin shrimp are so cool looking, but would be lunch in my tank in 2 minutes...

Actually, I lost it. I was going to trade it so I pulled it out of my tank and had it in my sump for a few days, and when I went to go meet the guy for the trade, I couldn't find it. I tore the sump apart and never found anything.

 

[wickedfish]

That and your alk is always 4... Bwahahahahaashkhddjkddhhfcbjm

Calling me out? Lmao. Always 6.8-7.5. Set up my CalRx and stop messing with me.

 

[wrimda]

We had a bad population of stars in our 150G, and in two months we have none to speak of. In fact I better buy a cheap starfish so this guy stays alive.

wrimda

 

[OGFrenchHorn]

I had to get a harley because my asteras population exploded! they are harmless in small populations but like people have said, they do eat coraline. They are mostly algae eaters but they can kill your corals in large population. when they eat, they expel their stomach and the acid turns the algae to slush... if they expel their stomachs on your corals guess what? I've lost zoas because of that. I got my harley a couple moths ago and it's been doing work on them but progress is slow. when they are all gone you have to go out and buy starfish to feed it.

 

[Speaker73]

This may seem a bit weird but anyone got some asterina stars they want to give me? Want to try an experiment.

 

[Shores805]

nothing really !!! Asterinas can just reproduce to out of control numbers and make it hard to clean your glass ..

I used to feel this way until i witnessed them hanging out on a Candy Apple Red colony for a few days and then noticed the skirts were pretty much nibbled off. Have since gotten a Harlequin. Problem solved

 

[wickedfish]

This may seem a bit weird but anyone got some asterina stars they want to give me? Want to try an experiment.

If you can fish em out they are yours.