Anemonestar

With the rise of the Predestar, a population of barnaclestars split off and found a solution. The anemonestar has developed venom cells, which use modified needle-like baits to stab and envenomate any potential attacker. The venom also has the side effect of making it resistant to pathogens, as its cells are hostile to them. However, this comes at the cost of taking longer to grow; as a result, it is evenly matched with its faster-reproducing ancestor despite them filling the same niche. It is otherwise identical to its ancestor, living a more or less sessile life attached to crystal flora where it filters small cells and bits of dead organisms from the water.