What are these ????

k9anna · 10-21-2003, 01:31 PM

Just guys are on the side of one of my clams.....

madman19710 · 10-21-2003, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k9anna

Just guys are on the side of one of my clams.....

i beleive its a star fish pretty sure but the ones to really answer are not on the board right now

***Reefland*** · 10-21-2003, 02:51 PM

Hi k9anna!

They are a small starfish and nearly all reports I have read say they are harmless. They'll never get to be more than 1/4" - 1/2" in size shouldn't cause you any problems at all.

Regards,
Scott Z.

**Ninong** · 10-21-2003, 04:16 PM

They look like little white sea stars to me.

I got some of those in one of my detritivore kits. Here is a close-up picture from the reefs.org website: http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/pic.../faq_star.html

If yours look like the ones in those pictures, then they are probably harmless algal grazers. Some similar looking small sea stars are corallivores. Just keep an eye out to see if you catch them eating any SPS polyps but yours look like the safe kind to me.

reefrunner69 · 10-21-2003, 05:55 PM

Quote:

If yours look like the ones in those pictures, then they are probably harmless algal grazers. Some similar looking small sea stars are corallivores.

Here is a close up of some stars I pulled out of my tank which I believe to be the SPS eaters

They seem to be more mottled than the others and rather than the bright white...they are a tan color. Another idea on how to distinguish the predator versus the algal and detritus eater, is their grip, the good guys have a slight grip, where the predators hold on for dear life

***zhenya*** · 10-21-2003, 11:13 PM

I agree with Ninong and others that they are harmless.They appear to be a small
Asterina sp. stars and like Ninong I have many,many of them.I too see them sometime on my clams grazing on the lagae that covers shells of the clams.

Kevin,

That is a great pic of the corallivore stars that I believe belongs to the same family,just different eating habits.

Here's a pic of some of mine:

10-21-2003, 01:31 PM	#1
k9anna Council Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Eatonton Ga Posts: 321	What are these ???? Just guys are on the side of one of my clams..... Attached Thumbnails __________________ Fish can Talk ! if Only we would Listen..

10-21-2003, 04:16 PM	#4
Ninong Moderator Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Louisiana Posts: 20,260	They look like little white sea stars to me. I got some of those in one of my detritivore kits. Here is a close-up picture from the reefs.org website: http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/pic.../faq_star.html If yours look like the ones in those pictures, then they are probably harmless algal grazers. Some similar looking small sea stars are corallivores. Just keep an eye out to see if you catch them eating any SPS polyps but yours look like the safe kind to me. __________________ Ninong

10-21-2003, 11:13 PM	#6
*zhenya* Owner Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: new jersey,usa Posts: 7,752	I agree with Ninong and others that they are harmless.They appear to be a small Asterina sp. stars and like Ninong I have many,many of them.I too see them sometime on my clams grazing on the lagae that covers shells of the clams. Kevin, That is a great pic of the corallivore stars that I believe belongs to the same family,just different eating habits. Here's a pic of some of mine: Attached Thumbnails __________________ Kind regards, Gene.

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10-21-2003, 02:51 PM	#3
*Reefland* Owner Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Bardstown, KY Posts: 13,044	Hi k9anna! They are a small starfish and nearly all reports I have read say they are harmless. They'll never get to be more than 1/4" - 1/2" in size shouldn't cause you any problems at all. Regards, Scott Z.

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