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12-12-2004, 05:32 PM
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#1
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Reef Society Duluth/Mpls
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Duluth,Mn
Posts: 1,033
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Acro Eating Starfish!!
I saw someones post a few weeks back about starfish and these guys have been on my mind. Well the jury's not out anymore on these critters. I was shocked and puzzled over what was going on so it took me a day after I noticed the damage to take this piece out and see the offending starfish dining on my acro.
Fahz
http://www.garf.org/STAR/starfish.html
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12-12-2004, 05:49 PM
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#2
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Nothing to See Here
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Prior Lake, MN
Posts: 1,222
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I have a lot of those little ones. Hopefully they only dine on sps and not softies and lps..
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12-12-2004, 05:55 PM
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#3
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King Squid
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Apple Valley, MN and Houston, TX
Posts: 1,548
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Fahz,
I would say that your starfish are the safe ones. They only eat the dead "leftovers" In the pic, I see a soft coral to the right of the acro and it looks like the acro is growing to the left. Flow is going right to left and the softy is killing the acro. From the pic, the acro does not look to be in great shape overall. With the acro-eating starfish, they will only affect a small portion of the coral at a time until it is all dead..
HTH,
Greg
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12-12-2004, 06:31 PM
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#4
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TCMAS Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Elk River, MN
Posts: 424
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Fahz,
That is the exact type of starfish that is eating my zoos. Sort of fat, beige or tannish in color. Again I have white ones, and white ones with silver and grey on them that I have had for a long time, and I never have any trouble with them. These fat beige ones however are different, and they were not eating zoos that were otherwise sick. They were eating healthy zoos with great relish. I have always maintained (having the white or silvery white ones) that asterinas were no trouble. However this paticular type IS trouble, at least in my tank. I must admit that I have not practiced quarantine, but I think I will RO/DI water dip my new zoos from this point on.
Sue
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12-12-2004, 06:37 PM
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#5
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Wingnut Jr.
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Hudson, WI
Posts: 3,460
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I have a bunch of these. I noticed in the last month or so that three of my larger softies have had a hole in them all of a sudden. They all seem to be healing but I couldn't figure out why. I have seen one larger, beige starfish. I thought maybe it was just a more mature one of the same species, but obviously it must be different. I'll be on the lookout now.
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12-12-2004, 07:02 PM
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#6
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micro nut
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: TWIN CITIES
Posts: 4,853
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getting a harlequin myself!  |
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12-12-2004, 09:33 PM
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#7
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Reef Society Duluth/Mpls
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Duluth,Mn
Posts: 1,033
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This piece is in my old tank under T-5's and on the bottom but by no means is this a dead coral although it could be weak. This acro was about to be moved to my new SPS tank and MH but red bugs put a stop to that. The tank was treated with Interseptor for the first time yesterday. The starfish damage was before treatment.
Fahz
Quote:
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Originally Posted by geshields
Fahz,
I would say that your starfish are the safe ones. They only eat the dead "leftovers" In the pic, I see a soft coral to the right of the acro and it looks like the acro is growing to the left. Flow is going right to left and the softy is killing the acro. From the pic, the acro does not look to be in great shape overall. With the acro-eating starfish, they will only affect a small portion of the coral at a time until it is all dead..
HTH,
Greg
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12-20-2004, 10:45 AM
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#8
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Wingnut Jr.
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Hudson, WI
Posts: 3,460
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Last night I pulled a tannish small starfish off my zoos. I hope it doesn't freeze outside.  |
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12-20-2004, 11:20 AM
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#9
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Reef Society Duluth/Mpls
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Duluth,Mn
Posts: 1,033
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I have about fifty dry ones and as I sit here I can see 5 right now on the glass.
Fahz
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12-20-2004, 11:32 AM
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#10
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Wingnut Jr.
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Hudson, WI
Posts: 3,460
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Fahz, was yours a more complete looking starfish? Mine was pretty symetrical. I have a bunch of others that are white and more oddball shaped. This one was tan. I hope there is a difference or we're in trouble.
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12-20-2004, 11:37 AM
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#11
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300 Pound Gorilla
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Hudson, WI / Hong Kong
Posts: 2,640
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I'd save them after you pull them out. You may be able to find some small, remote, South Pacific Island where they use starfish as their curency. Fahz, you could retire as a rich man there. 
__________________
JP
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Currently between tanks......And countries!!!!
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12-20-2004, 12:02 PM
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#12
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Wingnut Jr.
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Hudson, WI
Posts: 3,460
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Maybe we can put them in a jar for the next meeting. Jerry can sell "guesses" as to the number in the jar. Closest to the right number wins a goodie. Of course Fahz would have the upper hand...
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12-20-2004, 12:27 PM
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#13
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TCMAS MEMBER
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Savage, Minnesota
Posts: 507
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In some countries I think they stick them with a tooth pick for an appetizer. (Just kidding)
__________________
Gotta love Zoa's!
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12-20-2004, 01:07 PM
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#14
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Overthinks Everything
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Crystal, MN
Posts: 867
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I hear they're quite tasty dipped in chocolate. 
__________________
~Brian
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12-20-2004, 02:38 PM
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#15
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TCMAS MEMBER
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Savage, Minnesota
Posts: 507
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I think we're on to something--we could deep fry them put them on a stick and get a booth at the fair.
Everyone start collecting...the fair is only 242 days away.
__________________
Gotta love Zoa's!
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