six legged starfish?

dreams · 11-22-2006, 09:15 PM

my little hitch-hiking friend has what appears to be 6 legs (but 4 are much shorter than 2)....total size is about the size of a dime (including legs)...looks simlar to my sandsifter, creamy color w/ brown markings

i put him in the fuge, because i am not really sure what he is...he hasn't left the rocks, just creeps around on them

input?...thanks:-)

**Seahorsedreams** · 11-22-2006, 09:18 PM

It's an asterina.

Does it look something like this?

Notice the little guy on the left looks to have only 6 legs. The number is irrelavent.

There are a variety of tiny sea stars in the genus Asterina that all look more-or-less the same but in practice they may have very different habits in aquaria. But, I figure if they all look the same and some are good and some are bad.... well, they then all end up in "Renee's Bad Category". I'm not sure if some species are obligatory coral predators or if those that prefer corals will eat detrius and algae when placed in a coral-free environment.

dreams · 11-22-2006, 09:19 PM

going to google...thanks!:-)

**CarmieJo** · 11-22-2006, 10:00 PM

I have bunches of them and they don't seem to bother anything in my tank. I think that they also bury themselves in the sand but I am not 100% sure of that. I've never seen them in the sand, just right at the sand line.

**Seahorsedreams** · 11-22-2006, 10:57 PM

I allow them in every tank except the reef. Not taking any chances there. They are great in the mantis tank.... actually every tank except the reef. I got a pic on here somewhere of one chowing on a coral..... I think it came from coral magazine.

**Seahorsedreams** · 11-22-2006, 11:05 PM

They had a pretty big article on these guys. Very interesting... and it was the Coral Magazine.

Did anyone order Calfo's magazine? It is AWESOME!

dreams · 11-24-2006, 12:10 AM

thank you both....that is him...i moved him to the display....after a little reading, seems safe enough:-)

**Seahorsedreams** · 11-24-2006, 06:42 PM

Heck, I posted the same pic twice!! Lemme fix that!

saxman · 12-05-2006, 01:44 AM

i might add that i lost one of my T. maxima clams to the efforts of an Asterina star that decided to chew the byssal organ from the clam...they're all on "Greg's bad list" as far as the reef is concerned...