Midnight hitch hiker's hunt (ID please)
 

So I got bought some new frags today and suddenly, for the first time, I have witnessed hitch hikers in my tank.

1. I guess this is asterina but not totally sure (since I read that non-reef safe asterina-lookalike stars exists). So I took it out (saw one only) as soon as I have spot it. ID anyone?

http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/...psc270b1ca.jpg

2. This is the cool spotting. I got a hammer frag today and there's this two small opening between the tentacles and from that, something that looks like porcelain crab's filter feeders coming out and going in. I tried looking closer to it but I can't seem to find any porcelain crab within. There's just two opening and those feeds comes out and goes in. ID please.

http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/...psfe3916de.jpg

The fun of midnight hawk.lol
The 1st photo is of a reef safe asterina.
The second photo is another reef safe not a crab but a worm from the Sabellidae family.
Hope that helps.

Great! Thanks for the info :D

Can you please give me any tips on how to tell which asterina is reef safe and which is not?

And so that thing is more like feather duster right? I was quite amazed but got a bit worried since it was coming out and going in continuously (even now); just like what porcelain crabs' feeders do. Do you know any specific name for it?

Anyway, thanks again :D Now I can sleep in peace :P

the second one is a barnicle , harmless but i doubt it would live in your tank lonterm.

imo all asterina stars are harmful.....but some say the all white ones are safe.

+1 even the "reef safe" ones can grow into epidemic proportions quickly in the right siuation

Thanks Danny. I will be uploading some pics of zoas I got yesterday for ID - something of your expertise :)

I never saw one till yesterday when I added the new corals to the tank. I guess and hope that only one came in.

Denny ;-)

Ops. Sorry my bad :redface:

:wink: