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View Full Version : little white starfish????

banditpowdercoat
03-17-2009, 11:21 PM
While siphoning the water out today, I was skimming the top of the sand, and I noticed little white strands. Closer inspection, they look like starfish. White, kinda fuzzy legs, 5 of them radiating from center point. about 3/8" across fro the largest one, most 1/4". I assume they are benificcial, but what are they exactly?
parkinsn
03-17-2009, 11:25 PM
Are they the 3 legged variety? If so they are coral eaters i believe.
FlamesFan
03-17-2009, 11:25 PM
Im not sure about beneficial but I had a bunch that meet your description which were not beneficial at all. They were attached all over a carnation which caused it to wilt away to about 25% of it's origional size. I had to dip it to kill them off and I haven't seen any return since. I still have no clue what they were but they match what you are describing.
Myka
03-17-2009, 11:28 PM
Google Asterina starfish. Harmless, good scavengers. If you get a billion of them you know your tank has a bunch of crap in it. So, as long as your tank is decently clean they won't become plague-like. :lol:
banditpowdercoat
03-17-2009, 11:30 PM
They 5 legged

Thx Myka. I hope at they are. There wasnt alot of them. But they are below the large substrate. They must have been in with the dry coarse sand I reciently got? Havn't added anything in a long time.

They look like this tho. With all 5 legs same length and white, no color

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/photopost/data/503/medium/MINI-brittle_star.JPG
Myka
03-17-2009, 11:34 PM
Oh, those are mini brittle stars. They stay that size. They are also beneficial, and their numbers will fluctuate according to the cleanliness of your tank.
banditpowdercoat
03-17-2009, 11:41 PM
Oh, those are mini brittle stars. They stay that size. They are also beneficial, and their numbers will fluctuate according to the cleanliness of your tank.

Is there anything you know??? LOL
Myka
03-18-2009, 01:33 AM
Is there anything you know??? LOL

Yep, I know 76 things. ;)
banditpowdercoat
03-18-2009, 01:37 AM
Yep, I know 76 things. ;)

LMAO, My bad. darn Typo. I forgot the Don't . :D But hey, now I know 1-76. Im catching up
Myka
03-18-2009, 01:40 AM
:lol: I have been keeping fish since I was about 8, and sw since I was 10ish, and now I'm almost a couple decades older than that so I've picked up a few things along the way. ;) A couple of good friends of mine have nicknamed me Mindipedia. :o
ElGuappo
03-18-2009, 09:08 AM
Im not sure about beneficial but I had a bunch that meet your description which were not beneficial at all. They were attached all over a carnation which caused it to wilt away to about 25% of it's origional size. I had to dip it to kill them off and I haven't seen any return since. I still have no clue what they were but they match what you are describing.

Its small white and looks like a mini pillow star. the ones i had, had orange centers. ate my zoas.