Asternia stars drivin me crazy!

[s_kelley]

Anyone else notice their numbers raising like crazy? I know they aren't necessarily a bad thing but I got a ton of em. As soon as the lights go off they're all over the place. Like hundreds of em.
Is it worth grabbing a harlequin shrimp to take care of em? I don't want to have to amputate large stars after the asternia are gone tho, think that's kinda cruel
Any thoughts, suggestions?

 

[jokersplayground]

I have read some where that blue linkias eat them. It should pics and everything of them eating the little stars

 

[Bagdis831]

You could see if someone is willing to loan out a harlequin shrimp until it's under control. Or see if a LFS will let you take one and return it once everything is under control. Even if you only get credit back that's fine let's be honest you'll end up spending it (we all do).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jokersplayground]

Here's the link for you

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1745175&highlight=blue+linkia

 

[s_kelley]

Good thinking bagdis but that blue linka solution sounds cool too. I've never had any larger stars just the usual mini brittles
Thanks, got me thinkin now!

 

[Coalminer]

I have a red/orange linkia that I give asterinas to when I find them, which is rare. I think it might have been that same RC thread thread that Joker posted that I came across when I was trying to figure out what to feed it. I can't say 100% that he eats them, as he is never on the glass, but they always disappear, so....

 

[s_kelley]

Even the orange/red eh?

 

[frank180reef]

They are very hard to keep

 

[s_kelley]

So harlequin? My tanks stable as can be and been set up for years, why are they so tough to keep?

 

[Jeff.:P]

Id go with one harlequin shrimp. When I had one in a 40gallon it killed the asterina population say in a few months. I always thought linkia's needed some type of a bacteria to eat.

 

[s_kelley]

Ok gonna try to pick one up tomorrow, I can offer it up or something once they're mostly gone I guess

 

[frank180reef]

The stars are hard to keep

 

[jokersplayground]

They was only hard to keep cause know one could figure out what they eat. But then this thread came up and more people have been able to keep them alive. I will say once they run out of the stars you would have an issue. But it will be the same way with the shrimp. You gunna have to buy stars for it to eat as the shrimp will go through your astreas pretty fast. I use to have a pair of harlequins and they would eat a medium sized chocolate chip star every 2 weeks. No imagine how many lil stars one can eat.

 

[freakit]

They go after my zoas! Added a harlequin and a few hours later a ton of them were running up the glass. I need to grab another I don't think the harlequin made it and the stars are out of control again.

 

[mvallee]

How about these, I thought about them but I have a sand sifting star and I was afraid he would be harrased and eaten eventually

Bongo Shrimp

 

[s_kelley]

Those look similar to harlequin but way more expensive

 

[jdeb101]

If they mostly only come out at night why not just leave them be? I used to have a ton back in my 40g but for whatever reason their population declined naturally.

 

[freakit]

They go after my zoas.... Zoas shrink and don't want to open.

 

[Phinfan]

Yes I have them all of a sudden as well.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Must be some type of sorcery, because I've notice a lot of them in my 12 gallon daily. I usually pick them off and toss them down the drain. More and more every other day! Good Luck