Sea star ID
Hello,
In my reef tank I have found a tiny sea star which I have been looking up in the web but I have seen no pics at all, the more similar pic was one of a Asterina sp but from the bottom.
<Very common>
Unfortunately I have no pic of it but hopefully with the description it would be fine. The animal has no more than 2cm width, from top is of a blue greyish colour with a red/orange ring around the madreporic plate, it has 5 or 6 legs depending on the reproductive stage, which is very often. And I have tens of it. Any idea which species is?
<... some Asterina species fit this description closely... Please see the Google Pix here: http://images.google.com/images?q=asterina&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&tab=wi>
By the way I have white tiny sponges that I have seen pics of them in the web any idea about the name?
<Nope>
Hope you could help me, as soon as I get pics I will send them to you
Lots of thanks
<Even photos make it hard to discern these groups of animals to much more than family level... even for experts in their fields (of which I am not)... Require microscopic examination, sacrificing (taking apart). Bob Fenner>

Archaster Babies?....Or Asterina? (11/1/04)
Believe it or not, MORE Archaster craziness! Anthony, you are a patient man for answering all my questions. Bless you indeed! :) <I will pass this on. Steve Allen responding since Anthony is out.> To add to the insanity, one of the Archaster's had BABIES. I've got a few, literally, the size of an eraser head. I tried to take a picture, but it was incredibly difficult as it was far back in the tank, glass distortion, very small, etc. So everything around it looks HUGE.
Here's the pic: http://65.124.75.190/babystarfish.jpg
I'm not really sure how many I have as only two were visible, now only one. Hopefully some of these guys will survive and won't suffer from predators so I can pass them on. :) <Looked at the picture. Sorry to rain on the parade, but I doubt that this is a baby Archaster. Looks more like an Asterina to me. These common hitchhiker mini stars seldom exceed 1 cm in diameter. Look at some pix on our site and elsewhere to compare and be more certain.>
 

Re: Asterina  9/6/06 Dear Bob, <Derek> Thanks so much for the info. These little starfish seem to be multiplying fast... I found another just after receiving your reply with the ID suggestion. So I now have a 3 legged, 4 legged, and this 6 legged one (the largest of them so far). I've attached a photo to help ID, and in case it might be useful for your FAQ section; it came out fairly clear, given the small size of the starfish. Is this an Asterina? <Does appear so to me> If so I presume they'll be fine just chewing on the algae in the tank... will they? <Likely so> From the pictures I found on your FAQs I'm sure the lesser limbed ones are Asterina (I've only ever seen the lesser limbed ones from below (as they stick on the front glass) and they match one ID'd in your FAQ). <Do come in a variety of leggi-ness> Also, on another subject... Some signs in my tank of other possible hitchhikers - Clicking noises (single not rapid clicks) mainly after lights out and holes appearing in most of the loose shells on the sand... Mantis Shrimp? Pistol Shrimp? <Possibly> FYI I have a sensibly stocked 150litre tank, 1 Maroon Clown, 1 Splendid Leopard Wrasse (which I'm happy to say will even eat granules now!), 1 Boxer shrimp (Cleaner-Shrimp murderer!), <Ahh, yes> 1 red Starfish, and the usual hermits and snails. BTW, I don't know what the red starfish is, but I got one of its legs in the attached picture so if you've any ideas? <Mmm, no> I don't directly feed it (tried but it refused), it's lived happily in there for a few months; it's very active and seems to just graze algae. I realize one leg isn't much to go on ;) So if it's no use I will get another picture sent another time. Love the site! Many thanks again. Regards, Derek <Again, very welcome. Bob Fenner>

Methinks its a Limpet (but not sure)... Methinks it's Hard to ID Without Photos!  6/9/07 Greetings to all! <And a hardy hello to you Anthony, Mich here.> I recently bought a decent sized piece of liverock that currently has 12 mushrooms (all purple colored, ranging from dime-sized to half-dollar), and one Ricordea floridae about the size of a silver dollar. The first night I was checking for hitchhikers, and found at least 2 serpent stars (really small), <Likely Mini Serpent stars (Amphipholis) or Striped Micro Brittle stars (Ophiactis) both beneficial scavengers, which will hopefully reproduce in your system.> another starfish (its white with very pale brown markings, 5 legs). <Perhaps an Asterina star.> And what I know is definitely a gastropod of some sort.. <OK.> an ID of the mystery starfish would be greatly appreciated, as well as if it’s bad or beneficial to the aquarium. <Umm, how? No pics, minimal descriptions, and I'm still standing here waiting to be beamed up to see your tank there Scottie!> Also, I would like an ID of this snail like creature... I can give a lot better description of him! <Well, give me something to work with!> it has a flat/domed shell on top, but the shell looks more like a clam shell (asymmetrical). It also has a pearlescent shimmer to it. The animal itself is odd though. For one, it seems like its too big for the shell (about twice as big as the shell, or maybe even bigger), and for a snail, it moves FAST! It has 2 long antennae coming out of the front, and what seems to be 6 other, smaller ones running along the side (3 on each side) of the animal. <Sounds like (I almost feel like I'm playing Charades here...) a Stomatella snail to me... a welcome addition to your tank. Reproduces readily in captivity and an excellent member of the clean up crew. A couple of photos on this page: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/snailid9.htm > Since I can only find both of these animals at night, I can't get a picture. <Uh huh... sure... because it's dark... that why there's no photos... I think your just trying to challenge me...> But should I pull them out of the aquarium, or are they safe for my current and future inhabitants (I plan on having more mushrooms, polyps, zoas, and some LPS). <They are likely safe, if not outright beneficial.> I don't think the starfish is Asterina, because all of the Asterina I’ve ever seen have 7 legs, and half of those legs look as if they've broken off and are regrowing. <I've seen Asterinas with 2 legs, 3 legs, 4 legs... Here's a pic of one I took at IMAC with 8 legs! You can see the 3 old legs and the 5 new. OK, I guess I'm not able to attach it you this email, perhaps it will be posted on the daily FAQ's.> Also, would you have any pics that resemble what I’ve described, so I can compare? <Anthony... allow me to introduce you to Google Images... http://images.google.com ...Google images...Anthony. There you've met, now become friends! Hee!> Thanks a ton! <Welcome! Mich> Anthony Cagle <Please for future reference it is: "I" not "i">