Starfish Question?

**BoB_27** · 05-01-2007, 10:54 AM

Background
I have a Brittle Star and a Chocolate Chip Starfish in my tank. Plus I have removed 2 black brittles and on Ruby brittle from the tank. All of the Brittle came in my LR. The CC Starfish is food for my Harlequin Shrimp. The harlequin has been on top of the CC Star ever since I place him in the tank and started to eat him right away. The Brittle has been in a rock and the only time I have seen him is when he ate my cleaner shrimp.

Here’s my question.
Today when I woke up I saw a small starfish. It was about ¼ inch in diameter, and light brown in color. From where he was at I couldn’t see the top of him. What kind of starfish would he be? Is this something that could have come in the LR or LS? He is currently stuck to the glass in the middle of the tank. Thanks for everyone’s help.

P.S. I will take a picture of him tonight when I get off work.

Nate

**BoB_27** · 05-01-2007, 11:07 AM

My first thought was a Baby CC Star. I have no clue!

**wwest** · 05-01-2007, 11:41 AM

Is the center a quarter inch or is the hole star a quarter inch? also does it look more like the CC star style or more like the brittle? If i had to guess i would say its just a micro star which is very good for the tank. Its hard to determine which species they are but a picture would place us a little closer.

**BoB_27** · 05-01-2007, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by wwest

Is the center a quarter inch or is the hole star a quarter inch? also does it look more like the CC star style or more like the brittle?

The whole thing is a 1/4 inch and it looks like CC stars body.

**wwest** · 05-01-2007, 12:15 PM

In that case i would say it might be a Asterinidae Sea Star. Asterinidae's are white and have the same look as CC stars.

**BoB_27** · 05-01-2007, 01:19 PM

Well there will be no picture. I went home to take a picture on lunch. When I went to grab him he detached from the glass and fell in the clam’s mouth. What’s the odds? I looked at Asterinidae Sea Star on Google and that's what it looks like.

**CarmieJo** · 05-02-2007, 05:57 PM

I have bunches of them in my tank. They can reproduce by fission and sometimes I see just 2 legs...

**Seahorsedreams** · 05-07-2007, 12:40 AM

Asterinas.

**saxman** · 05-07-2007, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by BoB_27

Well there will be no picture. I went home to take a picture on lunch. When I went to grab him he detached from the glass and fell in the clam’s mouth. What’s the odds? I looked at Asterinidae Sea Star on Google and that's what it looks like.

yeesh...i assume you mean it fell into the clam's incurrent siphon?

i hope it finds its way out or dies, cuz i lost a clam to an asterina that decided to eat its byssal gland out. Asterinas are fine as long as they have algae and detritus to feed on, but they're like any other starfish...they're opportunistic omnivores.

**pmartin** · 05-09-2007, 12:11 PM

i got a star fish myself and after a while i noticed 3 small starfish which must have been hitchhikers

they disappear every now and again but the largest one seems to be doing fine

DSCF2200.jpg

**CarmieJo** · 05-09-2007, 11:22 PM

It looks like an asterina star. They are hitchhikers and will be fine in your tank.

**bubbletip** · 06-26-2007, 11:33 PM

I had 100's of these little guys inmy 65gallon many years ago. A trusted reefer told me these were not good for the tank. More of a nuisance I think. I just kept taking them out until they were gone. Now that I think of it I wish I would have found a reefer that had harlequin shrimp because I would have been able to supply him shrimp food for a while. Either that or I could have gotten one myself. I have always wanted one but could never think of buying starfish to supply a food source for these beautiful animals.