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Seriak
02-10-2006, 05:56 PM
I just read the following article and it stated that those tiny starfish that everyone in Calgary seem to have actually eat soft corals and LPS. Anyone ever heard of this.

http://g.msn.com/9SE/1?http://www.marineland.com/seascope/ss2001_issue3.pdf&&DI=293&IG=97ba4df156344081a7bcce53a148a274&POS=7&CM=WPU&CE=7&CS=AWP&SR=7

christyf5
02-10-2006, 06:25 PM
Hmm, that would certainly explain a few things going on in my tank right now.:confused:

Dang! I like them, they're cute :razz:

Old Guy
02-10-2006, 07:33 PM
If they eat blue shrooms, I could use a couple hundred:lol: .

Delphinus
02-10-2006, 07:44 PM
I can honestly say that I've never ever seen my Asterina stars bother SPS. I remember years ago being warned about them, get them out ASAP, etc., but I figured, I'm going to wait and see if they ever do any damage. Despite numerous other things which of course DID do damage to my SPS, I still think that they never hurt any of mine.

But the warnings come up from time to time, so there must be something to that too.

My take on it is, there are probably several species within the Asterina genus that look very similar, to my eye I wouldn't know the difference between them. But some are harmless, and some are not. I must have some of the harmless ones.

So I guess all I want to say is, don't assume they're harmful (or I guess, don't assume they're harmless). "Observe and verify..."

Just my $0.02 :biggrin:

richtg
02-10-2006, 08:54 PM
I used to have lots, and they never seemed to prey on anything that I could detect. My move in October wiped out the population though. Nothing else died. Wierd, eh?

So, If you want to get rid of them, just buy a new house and move. (That's my version of humour, BTW)

Rich.