Mystery Critter

[richserpe]

Hello all. Need some help from my reefing brethren. Saw this little guy on the glass in daylight with the Radions going strong and would like some help with an id. Sorry for the blurry pic but my phone won’t focus on something that small. It’s the little triangle shaped thing in the middle of the photo. He’s moving across the glass VERY slowly but he is definitely moving. He’s about 2mm and triangle shaped. He has small black lines that I can see against the glass going to each point of the triangle. My first thought was a baby starfish of some kind although I don’t have any in the tank. Maybe a hitchhiker on a coral plug. Anyway, any thoughts or observations would be appreciated. TIA.

 

[Undersea Gardens]

It's an asterina starfish. I like them, some don't. You can do your own research now that you have an ID as there is no clear answer as to whether or not you should keep our remove it. Cheers!

 

[Rjukan]

2nd asterina..
I remove them all on sight, I've found them eating my zoas overnight.

 

[richserpe]

It's an asterina starfish. I like them, some don't. You can do your own research now that you have an ID as there is no clear answer as to whether or not you should keep our remove it. Cheers!

Many thanks. I’ll bone up on these guys and decide whether or not to evict him.

 

[richserpe]

2nd asterina..
I remove them all on sight, I've found them eating my zoas overnight.

Good to know. I have a tank full of expensive Zoas. He’s history. Thanks for your help.

 

[mww00ds]

definitely an Asterina star. I know I've heard other say they eat corals, but I've never seen that in my tanks. I also know there are multiple different types of these guys, and most are a beneficial part of your CUC, eating leftovers and algae. I've always let them in my tanks and sumps, and never had them get to plague proportions. But if they do I know Harlequin shrimp love to eat these guys and get their populations down. kind of like how Berghia nudibranchs love Aiptasias