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Normally the crown-of-thorns, large, multi-armed and bristly, occurs in very low numbers on coral reefs—divers usually see perhaps one per dive. But population densities have occasionally reached plague proportions, and at these times whole reefs can be destroyed. Some of the greatest damage has been on the Great Barrier Reef of Australia and on the reefs of southern Japan, but Acanthaster outbreaks have occurred throughout its range, including Indonesia.

These plagues have been the subject of a long and heated debate by reef scientists. Some argue that over-fishing, over-harvesting of predators like the triton conch, and agricultural runoff have contributed to the disastrous outbreaks. Huge coral heads, hundreds of years old, have been destroyed by the ravages of the starfish. These scientists argue that control measures are necessary, and advocate the removal of Acanthaster whenever seen by divers. (Note: The crown-of-thorns is spiny, and some people have a toxic reaction to its thorns. Do not touch one unprotected.)