Acro eating starfish?

[wade2185]

OK. I found some of the Acro eatting flatworms the other day. I have been dipping everything and then blowing them off. I have found a few of these little buggers but not a ton. Something however is eating my acros and I think it may be something else. What about those little tan starfish? They are about the size of a pencil eraser. They crawl everywhere and seem to be active more at night. Do they eat Acros?

I am so frustrated right now I could just scream!

[Znut Reefer]

Wade I have the starfish also in both of my reefs. I have never seen them bother sps. They usually are eating algae. Or I find them on the side of my glass. I don't think that they are the problem. It's probably the AEFW thats causing the losses. Have you gotten a sixline wrasse. If not, I would.

[Adam]

do 6-line wrasse really eat these flatworms???

[gqjeff]

I rem a couple yrs ago www.garf.org was collecting small acro eating starfish.. I would maybe go on there site and email Leroy or look for the article.. The starfish you describe sounds very familiar to that one they identified as an sps eater... I think it was either a 5 or 6 legg starfish. Go into garf and then on the left hand side click aquarium pests.. Then you can click starfish.. I just went it and found it in about 15 seconds.. Hope this helps you.. Also if you have them a Harlequin shrimp will eat these type of starfish..

[OUinLA]

There are two types of these starfish and I can't tell them apart. I have hundreds of them and they are fine. They look exactly like the one's on Garf, but they don't bother any corals. I have given some to dozens of reefers and they are fine for them too. Unless you see these starfish eating your sps, then don't bother them.

I would guess the FW are the problem.