2 ID help please

I have a couple of IDs today.

One is a nice coral I got from a licensed comercial diver in Florida. It is in one half of a shell and is covered in orange nobs that glow neon orange in the dark. IT LOOKS ALMOST LIKE A MUSHROOM, BUT LIKES A LOT OF LIGHT.

The scond picture is of a little critter I found by exident in my display tank today. Unfortunately the only picture I have is when it was turning from the back to the front. It looks like a tiny starrfish (and it probly is). It has 7 legs (none missing) is about 5mm across. The uper side (the picture got lost when my camera ran out of power) is greenish with wite specs. Since I have already released it in one of my smaller tanks, I will probably not be able to get another picture.

Thanks

Oliver

 

the picture thats up is an Asterina star fish

the pictures thats not up - could be a Ricordia?

Steve

 

Soory for the picture boo boo

Sorry, picture is up now. Sthanks for the help with the Star, that is what I thought as well.

Oliver

 

Oliver Cinci

I do the funnies around here LOL

the thing that looks a like Mushroom - is a Mushroom
and the thing you said looks like a star - is a star



Steve

 

Any idea what type of mushroom. The pictures of the Ricordia I found do not match, as the nobs are much smaller. Again it comes out of the guf of Mexico, Florida waters.

 

It's a Florida ricordea. They come in all different colors and color combos. Definitely a ric

 

Rics can range in color, polyp size, etc.

You likely have a Florida Ric. They do seem to like a bit more light than their Discosoma counterparts.

Also, it could just be that your shroom' is still small and that is why the polyps(though I am all but sure that's not the right word) are not as large as you would expect.

 

its an asternia starfish and a ricordea mushroom nice adds dont worry the starfish are reef safe

 

Nice little Ric too,

The Asterina isn't necessarily reef safe though for several reasons.

First off the reproduce, and depending on how much food there is for them they can do this rather rapidly. I know this because My sea horse tank has hundreds of them in it.

Once this has happened they can and do irritate some varieties of coral, mostly SPS and some LPS.

They are great at keeping the excess food cleaned up and eaten though. I would just watch them and if you begin to see to many, remove them.

 

Thank you all! I am not too concerened about the Asterina, as it is the first one I have seen and I have not added anything in about two month. I look for anything every day and if there would be a lot I would definately have noticed them before.

Thanks for the compliments on the coral, I find it very pretty too, as it has intensified in color and doubbled in size since I got it. It is also kind of cude in that half shell. I hope I get some "babies" LOL to trade.

I will post another pic of something else soon (could be a coral or anemone) as soon as I find the spare batery for my camera.

Thanks again!