Newbie needing help :)

james983 · May 13, 2016

Virtualbasil said:
Wait ... 3 baby octopus ?

I think they are the small brittle stars she is referring to as octopus. I have lots of them in my system all SPS and chalices. No issues.

RealtyBoss · May 13, 2016

Virtualbasil said:
Wait ... 3 baby octopus ?

3!!!

RealtyBoss · May 13, 2016

Thanks guys ! I'm also worried about the octopus. I read they eat fish. These guys are so small but something ate one of my crabs body and left the legs and head. Here is a pic of my full aquarium. Waiting for it to cycle fully to add real fish so don't judge please

RealtyBoss · May 13, 2016

helen said:
EDIT: ???

Did I do something wrong? sorry if so.

Willragan · May 13, 2016

I second the harlequin shrimp. I had thousands of asterina and apparently some were coral predators as caught some red handed. once mine took care of the stars I sold to a fellow reefer with same problem. just didn't want to deal with butchering chocolate chips. although I have friends who keep harlequins this way.

RealtyBoss · May 13, 2016

Ok. Yikes no clear answer. Some say fine some say get rid of them. I am starting to put corals in. I don't want them eaten. I don't want my fish eaten by the octopuses. I don't know how big they get. Or how big the starfish get. Someone said to put the starfish in my sump. Is that correct? Good for filtration ?

RealtyBoss · May 13, 2016

And OMG the harlequin shrimp are gorgeous ! I want one now.

do they hurt anything else but the starfish?

RealtyBoss · May 13, 2016

james983 said:
I think they are the small brittle stars she is referring to as octopus. I have lots of them in my system all SPS and chalices. No issues.

Think maybe you're right. They're super long legged and brown. I thought I had worms at first and then they all came out and went back in. Update - no I just re watched the video. They have 8 legs. Just looked up the brittle and they have 5. Can brittles have more than 5 legs? I didn't get to see all legs on all 3. Just one. Tried uploading the video but it won't let me.

themcnertney · May 13, 2016

You have no coral. Your tank is very new. I'd d nothing, just be patient and let things run its coarse. You will find lots of hitchhikers in the coming months. Do plenty of research.

Really nice thank tho!!!

RealtyBoss · May 13, 2016

Dan McNertney said:
You have no coral. Your tank is very new. I'd d nothing, just be patient and let things run its coarse. You will find lots of hitchhikers in the coming months. Do plenty of research.

Really nice thank tho!!!

I do have coral, they're frags. Just didn't zoom in.

Webslinger · May 13, 2016

I would keep the star fish with your tank being so new.
The harlequin shrimp will eat all your star fish in no time. Then you will need to buy chocolate chip stars every few weeks to feed them. They only eat star fish. I have a pair one red spot, one blue spot. Harlequin's are cool but expensive to keep.
You may want to look into a skimmer for your sump and get rid of the wet-dry.

RealtyBoss · May 13, 2016

Webslinger said:
I would keep the star fish with your tank being so new.
The harlequin shrimp will eat all your star fish in no time. Then you will need to buy chocolate chip stars every few weeks to feed them. They only eat star fish. I have a pair one red spot, one blue spot. Harlequin's are cool but expensive to keep.
You may want to look into a skimmer for your sump and get rid of the wet-dry.

Great feedback! Thank you

Eaj1001 · May 13, 2016

Welcome I'm a newbie as well, lots of good info free for the reading and an overall good forum environment. Really good to score 3 Octopus in your rock...live rock inhabitants can be as entertaining as the fish and corals. I have Asterinas also and so far they haven't been any problem but definitely worth watching. Hope all goes well with your setup!

Scottsquatch · May 13, 2016

Welcome to R2R! Congrats on the new tank! I don't know much about octopus, but have heard they don't last long in aquariums. As for the starfish, you can always get a harlequin shrimp and then trade or give it to another reefer who has a starfish problem. I had some stars that didn't bother my corals at all, but some do. In my opinion, better to be safe than sorry. Good luck.

Diesel · May 13, 2016

Can you post a picture of the so called Octo's?

Send me a PM and we figure out how we can post the vid.

Remember that most members post their honest opinion and expertise with the starfish.
I posted a link based on research from marine biologist on the Astrina's.
If you would like to Google and find some valuable info that is your best bet in this hobby.
Great tank BTW.
Did your tank went through the cycle process?
Awesome that you include your little girl in the process too.

Salty1962 · May 13, 2016

Welcome to R2R! They will be fine, algae eaters.

dbl · May 13, 2016

Enough has been said about the stars so I will simply say welcome to R2R.

Congaken · May 13, 2016

WetWhistle said:
There has been a lot of confusion on these little guys for a long time now for as long as I have been in this hobby. Let me clear some things up based on my decades of experience.

The vast majority are opportunistic scavengers and/or herbivores that eat coralline or other types of algae as well as uneaten food. Out of all the Asterina sp. varieties only around 5% are coral eating species. So it really depends on what SP you have if it is going to be a coral eater or not. I have had these guys for decades now and I have never and I mean never had an issue with them. I have hundreds of them so if they were going to be a problem at this density they would already have caused an issue. I have the light color ones like in the pic. I have seen the dark color ones cause issues in another persons tank. So people need to be careful about labeling all of the Asterina sp as coral eaters because they are not. Most are harmless and an excellent cleanup grew. With that being said it is always wise to watch them to make sure you don't have one of the bad sp.[/

RealtyBoss said:

Hi guys! Bought some live rock for my new tank. 150 gal, saltwater about 2 weeks in. 2 trash fish to help, reverse osmosis system and everything else to get started. Today my new light came in and when I turned the lights on- wow. Baby star fish everywhere and so far 3 baby octopuses. I found one of my new hermits body pulled from its shell and half eaten but thought another one had done it. After reading I'm thinking it was these guys? They hitchhiked here. Don't know how many there are but at least 3. I got a video of one. The starfish - small. One 6 symmetrical legs and normal coloring. Other is gelatinous looking with 7 legs, 2 of those 7 are long and thick and it's completely white. Are these safe for my new coral and fish? Thanks!

Click to expand...

I remove them because I'm trying to grow coraline algae and they will eat it...I also have zoad...I think that in general they are bad news...also, cycling a tank with what you call "trash fish" is generally thought to be inhumane...sorry...but all fish feel the horror of ammonia and nitrite...some just survive it better...there are better ways to cycle...welcome and good luck...

Congaken · May 13, 2016

RealtyBoss said:
Did I do something wrong? sorry if so.

Welcome...I think you did something wrong...using damsels to cycle is really inhumane...all fish feel the pain...some die, some don't...there are better ways to cycle your tank...the live rock would cycle on its own...no fish are trash fish!

...also, those are little serpent stars, not octopi...and I would get the astorina stars out of the tank as they eat corals but also coralline algae...good luck...get some good books and read and read...

Congaken · May 13, 2016

Congaken said:
Welcome...I think you did something wrong...using damsels to cycle is really inhumane...all fish feel the pain...some die, some don't...there are better ways to cycle your tank...the live rock would cycle on its own...no fish are trash fish!...also, those are little serpent stars, not octopi...and I would get the astorina stars out of the tank as they eat corals but also coralline algae...good luck...get some good books and read and read...

Oh...and why do you have corals in an uncycled tank?...they are animals too...I will recommend some good books to get you started right...the worst thing you can do in this hobby is be in a rush...no patience, no success...that's the reality...we've all been through it...its not like the show Tanked...their fish die all the time...they're just replaced...