Been Mired Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 So... Do you think my zoa's are melting *because* of the asterina starfish, or are they swarming an already dieing/melting area as a food source? . . Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReefNewby82 Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 Well I've battled those coral eating stars myself. Manual removal and a harlequin shrimp or bumble bee shrimp is the way to go. I dunno what melting zoas means...unless the mat you are referring to? If so, zoas mat like that to reproduce. If you just mean your population is decreasing...then yes those stars are the culprit. They have wiped away hundreds and hundreds of zoas in my days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmrun Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 Ben, Would the Vermitid Snails (tube snails pictured) be a part of the issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Been Mired Posted February 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 Thanks guys . . . My palys continue to do just great, but any time I get zoanthids in the system they just seem to slowly decrease in number over time. I'll look into the Harlequin Shrimp as my next addition. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryansweet Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 Just a suggestion, but I'd look for bumblebee shrimp instead of harlequin. If you get a harlequin you'll either have to catch and rehome after your aterinas are gone, or start buying seastars to feed them. Bumblebee shrimp will eat your asterinas and also accept meaty foods. I've had 2 in my system for around a year and almost never see asterinas anymore. When I do see one or two they'll be gone in the next day or so. And my bumblebee shrimp are doing fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Been Mired Posted February 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/58b10c312ef1a/2017-2-24-23-44-54.mp4 I think my new friends and I are going to get along just fine... I threw a couple asterina starfish into the bowl while acclimating my new bumblebee shrimp... This one scooted right over to "say hello" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Been Mired Posted February 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted February 25, 2017 Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 Cool I don't think I have seen this shrimp before. My daughter's biocube has a lot of stars in it. Maybe that is the way to take care of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryansweet Posted February 25, 2017 Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 Nice! Good looking specimen. I rarely see the 2 that are in my 75gal but never have issues with asterinas anymore. I will see them every now and then, and they're either carrying a little asterina or grabbing some food when I feed the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReefNewby82 Posted February 25, 2017 Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 I put one in jenn's tank 2 months ago due to tons of zoanthid eating jerk wad stars. After some manual removal and the bumble bee, I rarely see any left. I will sometimes see a half leg crawling on the glass which I immediately remove. Good luck Ben, hope they do well for ya! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer82 Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Might have to look into a couple of these guys. Between the frag tank and my display I yank out at least 20 asterinias a week. Personal best is over 40 but that was after me being lazy a few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryansweet Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Probably the best decision I've made when it comes to natural pest control in my tank. I could easily count hundreds in my 75 at its worst. Now I might see 1 or 2 every now and then. Now if I could just get something for flatworms...(not the acro eating kind) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsc Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 OMG! I am so glad I grabbed those little buggers every time I saw one. Long handled hemostats are great for plucking them out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReefNewby82 Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 Bill you pick your boogers with a hemostat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsc Posted March 8, 2017 Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 Yep, especially those white ones with multiple arms, lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReefNewby82 Posted March 8, 2017 Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 Lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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