Asterina starfish pest

Joined
13 Aug 2008
Posts
226
Reaction score
2
Location
Johannesburg
Hi Guys,

Any ideas on how to get rid of asterina starfish? I have got literally hundreds of very small blue starfish which have stripped my tank of all the coraline algae and they are now chowing my star polyps.

I spent hours this past weekend picking out the ones I could get to, but this hardly made a dent in their numbers.

What will chow them, keepiing in mind that I have a TL550 tank and also have a few brittle stars?

Thanks
 
Maybe a small wrasse like a bananna wrasse? Not sure though. Even if you just keep the wrasse till the pest is gone, as I wouldn't keep the wrasse for long in that tank.

Other options might be harelquin shrimp or arrow crab? Maybe the experts might know better?
 
Harquins will sort them out, but you may need an alternative supply, once all the stars are gone.
 
Ive got the blueish ones, they havnt touched my xenia or my pollyps, they do seem to like coraline tho wich isnt that bad the coraline comes back within a day or two
 
Oooh! I want some for my harlequins!
They chow any starfish that does not scare them.
:)

If you buy some Harleys, remember that they do take hake, but you have to feed them starfish once a month (at least one leg of about 4cm long and 1cm thick).

If you can, setup another tank and just have your asterinas in there. (That is what i want to do, hence me asking for some)
 
Sure, I will organise some for you. I work in Pretoria so it shouldnt be too difficult to organise.

Anybody know who sells Harleys? I tried VIP but they do not sell them because they are diffucult to feed.

One question, will they chow my brittle stars?
 
I put a Harlequin in a few weeks back and he/she has literally wiped out the entire population of asterina's in a few weeks.

Now the problem is, I do not want to get rid of the shrimp as it is quite a lekker critter but aint got no more food.

Where can I get some cheap star fish to feed this guy. I have been recommended to try some carnivor pellets to see if it will eat them.

So far it has not touched the brittle star.
 
In the meantime feed it some hake till you can a starfish or two.
 
I put a Harlequin in a few weeks back and he/she has literally wiped out the entire population of asterina's in a few weeks.

Now the problem is, I do not want to get rid of the shrimp as it is quite a lekker critter but aint got no more food.

Where can I get some cheap star fish to feed this guy. I have been recommended to try some carnivor pellets to see if it will eat them.

So far it has not touched the brittle star.

It should eat the Bristle Stars, I know mine have...if you really dont want to get rid of him maybe keep a couple of Linkia starfish in your sump and...this is going to sound gross...cut off a leg now and then and feed it to it. You can rotate feeding legs between stars while the others legs regenerate. Probably the best option.
 
.this is going to sound gross...cut off a leg now and then and feed it to it. You can rotate feeding legs between stars while the others legs regenerate. Probably the best option.

That my man is a brilliant idea, not so brilliant for the star fish but great if u want to keep the shrimps
 
Hake: Normal I&J Hake?? How much and how often?

Cutting up starfish, sorry only got a Nano tank with no sump.

I want to build a small tank for keeping starfish eventually.

I was in Eastlondon for holiday and some of the rock pools where covered in starfish. One pool had a starfish with arms about 10cm thick. This thing was huge.
 
you were warned of this problem....did you try the harlequins on hake when they had star fish to eat? have they regected hake totally? what foods have u tried??
 
It should eat the Bristle Stars, I know mine have...if you really dont want to get rid of him maybe keep a couple of Linkia starfish in your sump and...this is going to sound gross...cut off a leg now and then and feed it to it. You can rotate feeding legs between stars while the others legs regenerate. Probably the best option.
on a straight ethical basis that sounds cruel and an absolute last option in my view.
 
you were warned of this problem....did you try the harlequins on hake when they had star fish to eat? have they regected hake totally? what foods have u tried??

Whats with the :nono:? Do you think I am a child?

Yes I Knew exactly what I was doing! If I have to sell the shrimp to keep it alive I will do so. Right now I am trying to keep it because I like it!!!

Keep your disciplinary actions to yourself!
 
Whats with the :nono:? Do you think I am a child?

Yes I Knew exactly what I was doing! If I have to sell the shrimp to keep it alive I will do so. Right now I am trying to keep it because I like it!!!

Keep your disciplinary actions to yourself!

Crispin is just looking out for your little shrimp. Just chill.

Also in all fairness crispin has has the :nono: in every post...
 
I am relaxed. I just dont appreciate people who take it upon themselves to be the "big stick". You know what we all have made mistakes. The person who says they have not made mistakes is a liar.

In this case I have not made a mistake, I carefully weighed up the options and bought a shrimp to kill the starfish which where destroying my livestock in the tank. Which worked. Now I have to decide if I should keep the shrimp or sell it. Maybe it will look better at the end of my fly rod? :biggrin:

Simple as that.

Now back to the hobby.

How much hake should I feed it?
 
Back
Top Bottom