Asterina population control

[Boreas_SA]

For me Nardao starfish are the best for asterina control, they do also scavenge other dead material, have seen them scavenge on frozen food that gets stuck in the rockwork. I have 5 in a 3ftx2ftx2ft tank, and have had them for well over a year now, seem to be doing well (one even regrew a leg completely that the wavemaker amputated), and only rarely see asterinas anymore.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

For me Nardao starfish are the best for asterina control, they do also scavenge other dead material, have seen them scavenge on frozen food that gets stuck in the rockwork. I have 5 in a 3ftx2ftx2ft tank, and have had them for well over a year now, seem to be doing well (one even regrew a leg completely that the wavemaker amputated), and only rarely see asterinas anymore.

Where did you find it?

 

[Boreas_SA]

I think it came on an Australian shipment.

 

[stevolough]

I use a siphon hose and a filter sock. Hang the sock inside my sump and run the hose into it. Then I just dump the sock. If you don’t have a sump just use a bucket and put the water back in tank.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Harlequin shrimp. When done, he moves into a friends reef and so on.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ive always done manual removal and won the war. It takes daily patience, and a little 2" net goes a long way with these things

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

The shrimp definitely works me…. If you put one in the sump the smell of it in the tank will make all of them climb the glass to the top to escape. And then you could pluck them out

Bingo !!! When I put in my harlequin in my main display with in a couple hours every star was at the top of my tank . Kinda crazy

 

[Charles Zinn]

The only thing I've had luck with is scraping as many as I can off the glass when the lights are out and cutting down on my feeding a bit.

I hope you are removing them as you scrape.of glass. As long as they aren't eating your corals or getting stuck in your pump I don't think they are thT bad.

 

[InvaderJim]

I hope you are removing them as you scrape.of glass. As long as they aren't eating your corals or getting stuck in your pump I don't think they are thT bad.

I remove as many as I can. They don’t bother anything but zoas in my tank which I no longer try and keep.

 

[GillMeister]

For me Nardao starfish are the best for asterina control, they do also scavenge other dead material, have seen them scavenge on frozen food that gets stuck in the rockwork. I have 5 in a 3ftx2ftx2ft tank, and have had them for well over a year now, seem to be doing well (one even regrew a leg completely that the wavemaker amputated), and only rarely see asterinas anymore.

Do I have to worry about my Dove snails if I add a Nardoa star to my tank? I have a substantial number of these snails growing in my tank and they are one of the best members of my clean up crew. Don't wanna lose them.

 

[Borat]

I am in the same boat as you and cannot have a harlequeen shrimp.

Make a sprear stick by ataching a needle to a bamboo cane. Use that to spear asterinas and remove them from your tank (hands off water!).
Simple method is to remove all asterinas you can find in the morning in the tank. Especially target the larger ones - which produce the babies.

After about a month - you will have any no asterina left.

 

[Borat]

 

[GillMeister]

I am in the same boat as you and cannot have a harlequeen shrimp.

Make a sprear stick by ataching a needle to a bamboo cane. Use that to spear asterinas and remove them from your tank (hands off water!).
Simple method is to remove all asterinas you can find in the morning in the tank. Especially target the larger ones - which produce the babies.

After about a month - you will have any no asterina left.

Clever solution!

 

[((FORDTECH))]

View attachment 2933516

What is that a jailhouse tattoo gun lol

 

[GillMeister]

What is that a jailhouse tattoo gun lol

I think we'll call it a 'Starpoon'.

 

[StatelineReefer]

I think we'll call it a 'Starpoon'.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Do I have to worry about my Dove snails if I add a Nardoa star to my tank? I have a substantial number of these snails growing in my tank and they are one of the best members of my clean up crew. Don't wanna lose them.

Hopefully they'll get back to you on that, because I'm curious about the answer as well. As I mentioned earlier, though, other known, reef-safe/invert-safe stars (like Linckia multifora, which is thought to include Linckia laevigata as an ecophenotype) will eat Aquilonastra (Asterina) stars too.

 

[dieselkeeper]

I've always had good luck with harlequin shrimp. When I see him hunting, I pass it along to the next person that needs him. But after months, maybe over a year, I will start seeing them again. I think they are in the over flow where the harlequin shrimp can't get to them and find there way out. Just like aiptasia, over flow is usually full of them.

 

[GillMeister]

I've always had good luck with harlequin shrimp. When I see him hunting, I pass it along to the next person that needs him. But after months, maybe over a year, I will start seeing them again. I think they are in the over flow where the harlequin shrimp can't get to them and find there way out. Just like aiptasia, over flow is usually full of them.

I would prefer to put a Harlequin in my tank but I'm pretty sure it would be expensive food for my Niger Trigger.

 

[Borat]

View attachment 2933516

This BorPoon is especially useful when you have clownfish looking to bite off a chunk of flesh from the invadeing hand!
And you will find it better (despite the initial intuition) to spear the starfish through one of their limbs,rather than its center point (which is rather hollow).