Whenever you add livestock to a marine tank, you may well be introducing little 'extras' that might either be a bonus or a threat to the tank community. In the past, when we ran a large six-foot reef system, we had a few really nasty surprises in the form of Mantis Shrimps. These large, colourful crustaceans are incredibly intelligent and almost impossible to catch, even in commercially available traps. They come in two forms: 'spearers' and 'clubbers'. the latter being the least desirable. Their powerful chelae are used to shatter the exoskeletons of crabs and other shrimps with a single, lightning-fast blow. If they direct an attack at their own reflection, they can even shatter the centimetre-thick armoured glass of a tank!
Luckily. the little surprises we've had so far have been easier to deal with: White Cushionstars and Glass Anemones. Neither of these are desirable in a reef tank: the anemones can fatally sting coral polyps, while the starfish eat them! Both are easily eradicated with a bit of effort.
This morning's 'invader', however, is a welcome addition: a Harlequin Serpent Starfish. Only three cemtimetres across at the moment, it probably hitched a ride in a cavity beneath one of our recent introductions!
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