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Old 03-17-2009, 11:21 PM
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Default little white starfish????
While siphoning the water out today, I was skimming the top of the sand, and I noticed little white strands. Closer inspection, they look like starfish. White, kinda fuzzy legs, 5 of them radiating from center point. about 3/8" across fro the largest one, most 1/4". I assume they are benificcial, but what are they exactly?
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Old 03-17-2009, 11:25 PM
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Are they the 3 legged variety? If so they are coral eaters i believe.
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Old 03-17-2009, 11:25 PM
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Im not sure about beneficial but I had a bunch that meet your description which were not beneficial at all. They were attached all over a carnation which caused it to wilt away to about 25% of it's origional size. I had to dip it to kill them off and I haven't seen any return since. I still have no clue what they were but they match what you are describing.
Last edited by FlamesFan; 03-17-2009 at 11:28 PM.
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Old 03-17-2009, 11:28 PM
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Google Asterina starfish. Harmless, good scavengers. If you get a billion of them you know your tank has a bunch of crap in it. So, as long as your tank is decently clean they won't become plague-like.
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Old 03-17-2009, 11:30 PM
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They 5 legged

Thx Myka. I hope at they are. There wasnt alot of them. But they are below the large substrate. They must have been in with the dry coarse sand I reciently got? Havn't added anything in a long time.

They look like this tho. With all 5 legs same length and white, no color

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Old 03-17-2009, 11:34 PM
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Oh, those are mini brittle stars. They stay that size. They are also beneficial, and their numbers will fluctuate according to the cleanliness of your tank.
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Old 03-17-2009, 11:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Myka View Post
Oh, those are mini brittle stars. They stay that size. They are also beneficial, and their numbers will fluctuate according to the cleanliness of your tank.
Is there anything you know??? LOL
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Old 03-18-2009, 09:08 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FlamesFan View Post
Im not sure about beneficial but I had a bunch that meet your description which were not beneficial at all. They were attached all over a carnation which caused it to wilt away to about 25% of it's origional size. I had to dip it to kill them off and I haven't seen any return since. I still have no clue what they were but they match what you are describing.
Its small white and looks like a mini pillow star. the ones i had, had orange centers. ate my zoas.
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