Asterina Starfish: How To Remove

ReeferGil
ReeferGil
Asterina Starfish are a nuisance type of starfish that can overtake a saltwater system in no time. Some species of these animals can actually kill corals in your system. In my case, I have Asterina Starfish eating my Zoeanthid corals. The population of these nuisance starfish has exploded, making any manual effort to remove them impossible. I decided to introduce a pair of Harlequin Shrimp in an effort to eradicate the starfish. Harlequin Shrimp will only feast on starfish of any size, so take caution. This include Starsifting Starfish, decorative starfish and Brittle Starfish.

[@ZachShannon]

I deal with these guys DAILY in my 210 gallon SPS display in the shop.. pains in the butt.. This video will help a lot of people, keep it up Gil.

[@soloreef7266]

Glad I saw this video...I always had the misconception that they were beneficial as well...now everytime I see one I get it out asap!

[@ReeferGil]

Thank Solo, these things are evil!

[@UnderTheTide]

Once again great video Gil, keep us posted how the Harlequin's make out please.

[@tysonredfern5054]

Great video. I am currently having this exact issue with my tank. Among other issues this is causing me to take down the tank. But it is not all bad, because it is giving me the opportunity to upgrade the tank. Thanks for the informative video.

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

Excellent video for you have a type of them that do cause issue in your tank as you have shown well. But one needs to remember that not all species of this starfish are bad. It has been estimated that of all the Asterina sp. varieties, only around 10% are coral eating trouble-some species, which is good news for most of us since they are so common in our systems these days. More than enough cases of corals being eaten by Asterina are reported but also lots of reports of them doing no harm. So again good video to show it you have made here. I have them in our tanks, and once had issue with a group eating things but the few I have left are pretty harmless, but again it depends on the type.

[@ReeferGil]

Thanks ReefDVMs, appreciate the time you took to detail your knowledge of these things. I have wage a war against them and posted "No Trespassing" signs as required by law. Trespassing Asterina's will not have a good day. I want these things out of my tank LOL. I have a good CUC so I don't need any sp of them. How are your frags coming along? Your tank is going to look awesome once you have all your corals set up!

[@RMSpeltzFarm]

***** Actually we have ten coral in QT tank and second tank with three chromis, one clown and foxface in QT so far so good, We are trying to make sure we dont get the hitchhikers if you know our meaning. I like your war on these for they can be trouble, we bet we will see them again in our systems someday especially if we ever cheat the QT tank. 30 days in QT to watch day and night for critters is not easy for anyone with lack of patience=)

[@bradsvlogs90]

Hey Gil, harlequin shrimps are by far the best looking shrimp love these guys! I have a mega population of these starfish and also tiny brittle starfish, haven't had a problem yet, fingers crossed... Look forward to the next update on your lean mean starfish eating machines!

[@ReeferGil]

Yeah me too! These are gorgeous shrimp for sure. Saw one of them climbing the back weir. Another time one was sitting in the middle of my green frogspawn just chillin.

[@bradsvlogs90]

Haha awesome !

[@915Mang]

Yep, I've even caught those things on my leathers. My harlequin shrimp only comes out at night.

[@ReeferGil]

My shrimp was chilling in the middle of my green frog spawn. It looks very cool and frog spawn was totally opened up.

[@goodall1bay]

Ive got a species of asters a starfish that i have kept a close eye on. They look white in colour with a red pink colour on top. They do not eat coral. They eat brown algae, they really like hair algae. They do not seem to harm the coraline algae but clean the surface.

[@fishnugget11]

I am run over by these star fish. Harlequin would be great but I have a blue jaw trigger. I was told that he will go after them. Any other ideas on fixing my astrea issue. They just killed my large chalice.

[@BigLungzMusic]

I have recently been finding the darker ones on my zoa garden and pulled them directly off Zoas. They were definitely eating healthy polyps. I also found one yesterday devouring the new growth on my purple torch. The fleshy base was destroyed on one head. I remove and kill every one I find. I have been considering a harlequin shrimp. Do you have to get a pair?

[@ReeferGil]

Jorden Watkins Yes, my Harley's destroyed these things! It took about two or three months for both of my shrimp to eat them up, but they are all gone now.

[@PRFishGirl]

how are the shrimp working out for you? I noticed when my lights are out at night I peek in my tank with a light to check on things and I see a few of them around. I took like 5 out one night but I see another 5-6 hanging around. They're mostly on my rock work.

[@johnjp444]

Hey gil hows the tank doin wit those damn star fish? How its gettin better bud!!! Post more vidz i luv ur tank its unbelievable and really enjoy ur channel def 1 of my fav!!!!

[@ROTTERtube]

Thanks for the great video. I have them in my tank and leave them because I don't have any zoas. I do have tons of coralline algae though.

[@ReeferGil]

+Rotter Tube Reef Great news, thanks Rotter.

[@JVS_Tarnished]

I had a harlequin shrimp in my tank and did the same thing with the chocolate chip stars but it was getting expensive to keep feeding stars every few weeks. Chopping the legs help on the savings but the legs don't grow back quick enough to be a savings. With two shrimps you'll be feeding them each a leg every two weeks minimum. Your better off selling them back once they rid your problem. They are awesome to watch though. Good luck

[@ReeferGil]

Thank you very much JVS Reefs, I imagine the CC Starts are around $15 each. That can get pricey in a hurry. The AM lights just kicked on and I could already see a major improvement in the two weeks they've been in the tank.

[@27ppatel]

OHH MAN! that sucks! Yea one of my friend has a wonderful 125g reef and those starfishes took over the tank. By the thousands! Good idea on the shrimp.

[@sidebysideND]

Thanks for the video! I am really looking forward to a follow-up video. I would be afraid that my Wrasse would kill the shrimp though.

[@ReeferGil]

That's understandable. My wrasse has never messed with any of the clean up crew shrimp and is leaving the new shrimp alone.

[@genealameda1163]

Thanks for the info! I do have a few in my tank and I hand remove a couple every week. All of a sudden I have been getting a lot of small white snails, any experience with these. I remove them constantly!

[@ReeferGil]

Yeah, I get the tiny snails every now and then. They have never over populated my system, then again I have a Melanurus Wrasse that is probably keeping them in check. I don't think they are a threat to corals though.

[@genealameda1163]

Thanks, makes sense population exploded after I lost my wrasse

[@michaelj3959]

I've never had Asternia Starfish in my reef tank. However, I did have a blue Linckia Starfish once that my baby Clown Trigger fish decided to have for lunch. You might try putting a Clown Trigger in there. He will definitely take care of your Starfish problem.

[@carlosguerrero2372]

Great video! ! Learn something new about my system. Thanks! !

[@ReeferGil]

Thanks Carlos!

[@dm002a8686]

I've been pulling them out every day for a year ... Just to keep them in check.. Not been touching corals up to now..

[@bobsm5297]

I hate these things they covered my glass so many of them. awesome video as always.

[@ReeferGil]

Thanks Bob!

[@sebuzzzz]

good video bro !! i had that same problem. started like 3 months ago. one day it looked like i had just a few and then BOOOOM i had thousands eating away at my corals. eating at the base of some SPS, my zoas, they even munched away my galaxy colony. i actually tore down that system yesterday it was too much out of control :'-( be careful with those bastards

[@ReeferGil]

Dang man, sorry to hear about that. Sucks bigtime! I hope I wasn't too late to act. Those Zoes are still closed up, not sure how much longer they will last.

[@timstanks9192]

Just a great excuse to get some awesome looking harlequin shrimp :D Ever tried cutting off a starfish leg? They are deceptively tough.

[@purplepenguin3335]

How do you care for an asterina starfish? a friend of mine bought a piece of coral for her tank and found one attached to it, they started multiplying so she said I could have one. I don't have any fish or any water pets, and I just wanted to keep it in a jar, but I don't want it to die?

[@ReeferGil]

+Purple Penguin It will die, can't keep it in a jar.

[@purplepenguin3335]

+ReeferGil Why? it's so tiny...

[@ROTTERtube]

great video. these bastards are starting to explode in my tank. i want the harlequin shrimp but not sure if it will go after my sand sifting starfish. i'll have to look into that.

[@ReeferGil]

They most likely will. If you have a sump with substrate then that might be an option. Shrimp are really the only way I know how to combat these guys.

[@Lagunasaxoxr2]

Hi, thanks for video! I have a 12" red brittle star fish and they're OK with Harlequin shrimps aren't they? Cheers

[@ReeferGil]

+Rob Burton Sadly, I lost both Harlies due to having medicating the tank. But I did keep both shrimp in the main display with my brittle star fish. I didn't completely trust them, so I removed my red brittle star and placed him in the sump. The shrimp did not mess with other brittle star fish, but I always kept the shrimp happy and fed with chocolate chip stars.

[@Lagunasaxoxr2]

+ReeferGil Thanks for reply :-)

[@gordiefrench5342]

i have not known what they are called till now and have aprox 50 on the glass in the morning . tomorrow in the am i will remove all i can see. thank you for this vid

[@ReeferGil]

Thank Gordie. Good luck.

[@johnjp444]

Np prob buddy!!! Trust me ur channel is well worth the time!!!! Post more vidz thx bud hope to see ur tank soon!!!!

[@ReeferGil]

For sure John, thanks again!

[@laylasimons8087]

I have a tiny starfish looking white blob in my tank and I'm not sure if it's an asterina or not, just came across it 3 days after purchasing a live rock with a coral on it. Is it more than likely asterina or could it be a baby starfish?

[@ReeferGil]

+Layla Sarandis Likely Asterina Star fish. Often times they look distorted (missing legs here and there) so the white blob would be a good description of such a starfish. They are really no big deal till their numbers are too much. Thanks for the post!

[@dannysreeftank]

Really cool and great video!

[@ReeferGil]

Thanks Danny!

[@jacobwarren7876]

Makes sense why my zoas do good and then slowly disappear

[@MegaFluffyBunny]

I was wondering. I have quite a few of the seemingly non coral eating ones in my tank. I don't really mind them because they just seem to eat algae. I recently added a coral banded shrimp and a pistol shrimp to my tank. Will they eat the starfish? I like the idea of them being supplemental food.

[@ReeferGil]

I'm not 100% sure if either shrimp will go for an Asterina, but I don't think so. There are a variety of these little stars that won't mess with your corals, but I prefer to remove them as they can proliferate rather quickly.

[@MegaFluffyBunny]

Okay, thanks for the reply!

[@davidminns6797]

Thanks for your info i have just seen one of the starfish on my glass i have just set up my system haven't put any fish in it yet i bought some corral and lve rock been running my aquarium fir 4 days should i deal wlth the starfish now its white in colour any info would be appreciated thanks

[@sonichysteriaomore1608]

Exactly so pressedimprint the printing press. Response the box accumulated in box . Sky moon to sun .

[@Johnaubreyduncan]

Good info!!.

[@ReeferGil]

Thanks FishTank Doc!

[@illmanner415]

Good video like always RG.. now I know how to get rid of these little critters.. The wifey thinks there cute, but little dose she know. .

[@illmanner415]

I just removed a bunch of them and she's drying them out as we speak.. Funny

[@airforceone938]

where is our update? Did you ever start feeding the legs of the star fish to the shrimp?

[@ReeferGil]

+Scott SPS (loui) Scott, I did feed them Chocolate Chip Stars, the whole thing. They took care of all the Asterina Star fish in about 3 months. Sorry about my sluggish production of video. I will post videos in the future.

[@gonereefing654]

Yeah.... I think once their all gone in my display, I will move him to the sump for a while and after that I might take him.back to the LFS. Or maybe lend him to someone.

[@gonereefing654]

I had them bad about 4 months ago and I bought 1 shrimp. He's not done yet but he's getting close.

[@crystalanne902]

there is also a bumble bee shrimp that eats the starfish but does not solely eat starfish so you dont have to keep feeding it to them 😊

[@wheelsdeal]

My 75g has also a lot of these starfishes but i though the only downsize is they eat the coralline algae.About a week ago i returned home to see one of the heads of my Euphyllia Glabrescens contracted and 2-3 of these starfishes on top sucking the tips.I manually removed them but they kept comming back and the head eventually died.Now i dont know if they are the reason the head died or it was something else but they are on my black list now so thanks for the tip about the Harlequin Shrimp i might actually get some.

[@mario123837]

***** I am about to start my campaign to rid my tank of these....however i have a huge brittle starfish in my tank which I like alot...will the Harlequin shrimp kill it you think?

[@ReeferGil]

Ya eventually they will. I put one brittle star in my overflow and another in my sump.

[@mario123837]

Damn...got figure out something....I don't want it to die...I've had it since day 1 and its a beast now.....

[@wheelsdeal]

Well i started syphoning those little punks from the glass and sand with my weekly 10% water change and in like 3 water changes i have reduced their numbers significantly.Just scrape them with the hose while you are removing water and they are gone..

[@mario123837]

Thanks wheels...gonna do that for now....see how it goes..

[@SIMUANGCO2468]

I HATE THOSE THINGS WITH A DAMN PASSION!!!!!!! I did a video a while back where i had the same issue. They were fine for YEARS and all the sudden they are zoa monsters. Good luck with the harlequin shrimp.

[@ReeferGil]

LMAO, that's exactly what they are! Asterina MONSTERS!

[@GENISIS1TWENTYONE]

Hopefully those shrimps will take care of them

[@ReeferGil]

We'll have to wait. Since start fish is the only thing they eat, they'll have no choice but to eat them all. They get no chocolate chip stars till they're done and they've already been told. "Eat your dinner or you get no desert!"

[@GENISIS1TWENTYONE]

Lol

[@marshallelliott8894]

I hate when people defend these darn things. Lol. Going to get me a harley asap!

[@marshallelliott8894]

Thanks

[@brysonwhidby4406]

but i also found small brown spindly starfish as well wtf are they

[@ReeferGil]

Asterina starfish. Harlequin shrimp will take of them.

[@DjDreadNought1]

The small brown spindly one sounds like a brittle star. Funny to watch and not bad for the tank...

[@kissreef8481]

I have the darker ones on my tank for two years first year and1/2 did not bother anything in the tank. One day just started eating coral. I found my acans pealing away from the skeleton started looking into my tank at night and found the stars at the edge of the corals eating away, after that my chalices started receding and found the stars eating them at night also. Had to have a friend hold all of the two types of coral until I can buy a shrimp. If anyone finds them take them out asap.

[@ReeferGil]

These things can be evil. I had them for a long while. Thought they were beneficial at first. Sooooo wrong!

[@jonathanflores2449]

How do these starfish get in here in the first place

[@ReeferGil]

Pretty much hitchhikers on stuff you introduce into the tank. Some of these pests are just going to make it into your tank no matter what you do.

[@phoebeshirasawa4959]

+ReeferGil Oh my

[@joejeff9080]

@@ReeferGil Most come from the live sand in the tank. Stir it up and you will see mre!

[@jeredhermoso927]

What coral is that green one i wanna buy that

[@ReeferGil]

I don't recall the name, sorry.

[@GoGoGoGoGoGoGoGoGo]

Looks like a Dunkin

[@mikesreef3022]

how do the starfish get into someones reef tank in the first place?

[@ReeferGil]

Sucker hitchhike on live rock and corals you buy from the store. They're almost impossible to spot on the rocks. Before you know it, the numbers are unmanageable.

[@calvinhammon9753]

Thanks buddy, this helped me a lot

[@ReeferGil]

Right-on!

[@dioncuda]

i had the same problem,i was also taken them out by hand but it didnt work. by accident i found some thing that would eat them, a black long spine sea urchin. didnt take long for them to be wiped out, but he also got a taste for any soft coral i had..so he had to go

[@ReeferGil]

Have you seen them come back since the urchin was removed?

[@dioncuda]

no, not a one, i do have them in the fug but thats it.

[@dm002a8686]

Lol good mate .. I hate them fuc..... Keep videos coming.

[@ReeferGil]

Thanks mate, I'm hoping the shrimp are really hungry!

[@SethEssington]

I've started pulling these out by hand.

[@ReeferGil]

Nice!

[@sebuzzzz]

How can poeple dislike this video ? Lolll

[@Jroze37]

***** its alright i enjoy your videos! lol

[@Jon71586]

im thinking people are mad about cutting up a choc star

[@moneymaks24]

I lost at least 4 colonies of cool zoa before I realized it was the stupid stars that were eating them.

[@ReeferGil]

Ug, I hope I'm not too late man! They are all over!

[@awsome2ish]

70 a pair??? A pair costs $2000 in Australia :(

[@ReeferGil]

Geez! If you have Instagram, I post daily there.

[@smiles1969able]

think yourself lucky we cant get them ever !! new zealand

[@tylerdigiovanna1040]

Thank you!

[@ReeferGil]

And a big thank you to you too

[@igotboredfkit]

i like the bumble bee shrimps over the harlequins there smaller so u dont have to worry about your larger starfish getting eatin although i did see grooves out of there arms every once in a wile and they can get in those grooves that harlequins probably couldnt i had 7 of them they cost me about 75-80 bucks all were full grown at an inch when i got them though

[@ReeferGil]

sean mulhall Bumble Bee Shrimp are definitely very cool, but they eat anything that is meaty. The do not just target starfish like their cousins, the Harlequin Shrimp. Because the BBS will eat frozen foods, they are easier and cheaper to care for. If I had a minor case of Asterina infestation, then BBS would probably be a good to go shrimp. My starfish population was too much and need some dedicated starfish eating shrimp. Thanks for bringing these guys up!

[@A_Simple_Slug]

I have had the white variety of asterina in my tank for a long time (about2 years) the white ones generally dont eat zoes I had a zoe garden and they left it alone but if you dont like em or find them ugly then hadlequin shrimp are a good choice for removal

[@ReeferGil]

EtheRunescapeMan Yeah, the Harley Shrimp are high maintenance but they're worth the effort. Very cool shrimp. No more starfish, that's for sure.

[@inVINSONable1]

It is pronounced AL JEE ......LOL

[@ReeferGil]

LOL, taking it back old school style, I like it!

[@monopod1]

Last night, I watched an anemonia gracilis capture and eat an asterina starfish.

[@ReeferGil]

monopod1 Ha, our ecosystems are awesome!

[@anthonymorris6473]

A quarantine tank is a must to accompany a marine set-up of any kind. Much cheaper than a ruined reef tank. And fun in their own right.

[@ReeferGil]

Anthony Morris I agree. I'm in the same school of thought with you on this.

[@joejeff9080]

How does a QT stop these since they are in the live sand you put in the tank from the beginning?

[@chrisjefferson264]

They never ate my coral, did a great job getting the algae thats all.

[@ReeferGil]

Chris Jefferson There are different types of these starfish. Some will go after certain corals while others don't. Either way, they tend to mass populate when left unchecked. Thanks for sharing.

[@goodall1bay]

There are plenty of people who want Theo buy these starfish.

[@ReeferGil]

goodall1bay Hey Good, My LFS won't buy them because they are pests. Not enough interest to sell these, besides when the started attacking my Zoa garden the best thing to do was to eradicate them naturally with Harley Shrimp.

[@dldope]

I have those in my tank

[@ReeferGil]

If you don't have zoas, their no big deal. Thanks!

[@alexsilasi630]

Try catch and kill some, then feed the remaining matter to your fish

[@brysonwhidby4406]

i just set my tank today and saw one on my glass and shit myself

[@ReeferGil]

LOL, not a biggie. If you catch them soon enough, you can control them by manually removing them.

[@moneymaks24]

God I hate those fucking things!!

[@ReeferGil]

LOL, I thought they were beneficial! Ug!