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Sun Star good or bad

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    Posted: July 30 2017 at 9:51pm
I found what looks like a rose sun star in my tank.

From what I can find online I think that I dont want it.

It looks like a Stand star with a larger disk and 16 arms instead of 5

The arms are about 1/2 as long as a sand stars arms and the total star fish is about 3 inches across

I have bagged the sun star.



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Mark Peterson View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 31 2017 at 9:40am
Wow. That is cool. Was it bothering any animals? If not I'd keep it and enjoy watching it. It's easy to remove at any time.

I typically keep things in my tank unless I see them bothering something, but I'm a different kind of hobbyist. I'm the crazy hippie hobbyist that loves all the diversity of the wild ocean and I've seen dozens of pests and learned how to deal with them. There are only a handful of pests we usually come across in our tanks that I completely avoid and remove.

This must have been a hitchhiker on some rock. It may have been living in your tank for a long time. 

May we see a pic?

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Mark  Hug
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redleader Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 31 2017 at 1:16pm
Everything in life is possible. You just have to dream big, and act bigger.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redleader Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 31 2017 at 1:18pm

the sun star is currently bagged and in the tank floating, I suspect it has been eating snails and crabs.


But I'm not sure, I have been having a high mortality rate of snails and crabs.


I found the star fish clinging to the side of the glass appearing to be eating the astrina star fish.



Edited by redleader - July 31 2017 at 1:19pm
Everything in life is possible. You just have to dream big, and act bigger.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 31 2017 at 3:12pm
Wow, that is so cool. It certainly does look like the predatory Sun Star. I've seen them in documentary films but this may be the closest to seeing one in real life I'll ever get. You lucky dog!

How did it get there and how long might it have been roaming before you noticed it?

I'm sure there is someone here that would take it off your hands (Adam B Wink). Personally, I'd keep it in a sump or Refugium and feed it raw shrimp from the grocery store or Chocolate Chip Stars or dead fish.

Losing Snails and Hermits could be the Star. I assume that the Alk, Ca and Mg levels are within range?

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Mark  Hug
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Adam Blundell Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 01 2017 at 8:48am
I want it! I'm out on expedition right now. I'll be back next week. Or throw it in my tank for me.

Adam
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote phys Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 03 2017 at 4:32am
Those stars are pretty bad if they're the ones I've read about. They'll eat corals and a lot of other things. No Bueno!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Adam Blundell Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 03 2017 at 10:42pm
I have lots of coral.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 04 2017 at 9:45am
Adam is saying that he has lots of soft coral for the Star to eat and doesn't mind that, right?

I believe it's urchins and other stars they like the most, rather than soft coral. I suppose though, like all the animals we keep, in the absence of it's favorite food it will find other stuff to eat, rather than die.

Aloha,
Mark  Hug
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