Asterina Starfish
Asterina gibbosa
Saltwater Invertebrate
Species Group: Starfish
Family: Asterinidae
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Water parameters
Temp
76-80 F
Temperature
Maintaining a stable and appropriate temperature is critical for the survival of aquatic life.
pH 7.8 - 8.4 potential of HydrogenMeasuring the acidity or alkalinity of water on a 0–14 scale, where 7 is neutral, 7 is alkaline.
NO3 1-20 ppm NitrateWhile less toxic than ammonia, high nitrate levels (above 40–80 ppm) are important to monitor because they can cause fish stress, stunted growth, and harmful algae blooms.
NO2 <0.0001 ppm NitriteIt is a highly toxic, intermediate compound in the nitrogen cycle produced from broken-down ammonia
PO4 0.01 - 0.1 ppm PhosphateIt is essential for plant development but must be managed, as excess levels trigger nuisance algae blooms and inhibit coral calcification.
NH3 <0.1 ppm AmmoniaIt is the primary killer of aquarium fish, causing gill damage, stress, and death
Ca 380 - 450 ppm CalciumSupporting the growth, skeletal structure, and shell formation of corals, mollusks, crustaceans, and coralline algae
KH 8 - 12 dKH AlkalinityIt acts as a shield, neutralizing acids to prevent dangerous pH "crashes" that can harm fish, corals, and plants.
Mg 1200 - 1400 ppm MagnesiumIt enables coral growth by supporting skeletal formation, assists in metabolic processes, and ensures that calcium is available for corals, clams, and coralline algae.
SG 1.023 - 1.026 SG SalinityEssential for maintaining stable, natural water parameters, proper osmoregulation, and stress-free environments for marine fish and corals
ORP 250 - 400 mV Oxidation-Reduction PotentialA higher positive mV indicates clean, oxygen-rich water with high water quality, while low readings indicate high pollution.
About Asterina Starfish
General information
These little guys have gotten sort of a mixed review as far as their “reef-safeness” is concerned. Most people have seen them munching happily away on film algae while some claim that they have eaten their corals. One thing is for sure is that they multiply quickly causing them to be a pain whether they are coral safe or not.
Then there are others who have seen them destroying a Leathers, Acropora or Gorgonian. There are two theories circulating about these differing behaviors. One is that there is more than one species and are very difficult to tell apart; one eats film algaes and the other eats corals. But then there is also the theory that they are opportunistic and feed on corals when their supply of algaes are running out. But don’t jump to conclusions that they are consuming your corals when you seen them on there… more than likely they are just cleaning to film off the coral. The odds of finding a coral predator are low.
They may be seen wearing different colors. Their base color is white/tan and they then adopt film algae and coralline for varied color. They can have many legs and many shapes.
All photos
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