well, here goes, a question for those with brittlestars

[Anonymous]

I have a brittle star, he has been in my tank about a year and a half I guess, when I got him he was about 6 inches across, now he is more than 24" across. Its a 55 gallon corner bow, the main problem with having him is he occasionally eats a fish. Since I have small fish (carpenter flasher wrasses, bicolor blenny, chalk basselets, longnosed hawkfish) Every once in a while one will come up missing. I have narrowed it down to it must be the star, there is only one crab other than hermits, an emerald crab, but that crab is around the size of a nickle. The tank is very healthy other than that, and its not like I am losing tons of fish, I have lost 2 in the last year.

So, here is my question


I would like to put the brittle star in the sump tank, its a 20 gallon though, and one third of it would be off limits because of the suction for the return pump. How would I keep it out of there, would I need to have the tank covered, and finally, how do you pick one of these suckers up, I am actually afraid of the thing, and I am sure I would damage it with a net.

The store I go to would probably take the thing off my hands, however they would not give me anything for it.

Oh, and is there really anything wrong with just leaving it in the top tank? Other than losing a fish every once in a while? I imagine they get eaten in the wild a good bit......

 

[Anonymous]

As far as I know they are not prone to climb out. I would be more concerned with it getting caught in the return pump. Picking them up is no big deal. I had one of similar size years ago and when I tore down my tank I just picked it up with my hands. The only problem with keeping him in the top tank is he will continue to eat the little fish. Try feeding him a part of a shrimp or silverside. Something that sinks to the bottom. Drop it behind the rocks so the star can find it and not the fish. If you keep it fat and happy it will probably be to lazy to fish.

 

[Anonymous]

i got a free green brittle in a purchase once and he met his end via powerhead, so i second the pump intake worry.

 

[Anonymous]

loose fish or a brittle star? The choice is yours either way. Youre gonna have to sump him IMO if you dont want to keep replacing fish....I have a few brittle stars (two of my three are hitchhikers one i just aquired today.) I think the green brittles are more a pest then others according to accounts of other members here and in reading...

 

[carsimex]

Yesterday I witness my green BRITTLE star trying to eat a Nerite Snail. Now I know where those 4 small peppermint shrimps are. The star got much larger since I got as a present 4 month ago. For now I think I will try to target feed it and see if it is going to leave others alone.

 

[Anonymous]

I have several in my sump, and a big one in my display with no problems. I don't have the green variety though as I know those are fish eaters.


Jim

 

[Ben1]

I had a green one eat a few fish a few years ago. I gave it to a member of the board soon after that...I switched to serpent stars and havent had an issue with them.

 

[Tackett]

did I ever mention I hate starfish? dont trust any of 'em.

 

[Mihai]

Is the brittle star in the original post green? If not, then likely it's not the one eating the fish (despite the "narrowing down"). I have a large brittle star that's very well behaved. Shy actually.

M.

 

[Anonymous]

Is the brittle star in the original post green? If not, then likely it's not the one eating the fish (despite the "narrowing down"). I have a large brittle star that's very well behaved. Shy actually.

M.

No, it is not green, its more of a cream color with a ton of red pinstripes crisscrossing it

I have only a couple of clues to it being the culprit, for one the fish disappeared in the night without a trace, and the starfish's actual central body was much thicker after they disappeared, and also it has been a while since any fish have disappeared and the starfish was out the other night and I snapped a couple of blurry pics. It's body was much smaller, noticeably smaller.

 

[Mihai]

It is possible that your star ate the fish...after it died. They are detritivores, i.e. eat leftovers. Your dead fish was a leftover for it.
If it were not for your star you may have had super-yucky water the next day (from the rotting fish)...

M.