Baby brittle star?

[Funwithreefer]

So I put a brittle star in a couple months ago. He disappeared under the rocks never to be seen again. Today I see this on the glass. It looks like a baby brittle star but I’m not sure.

thoughts? And if it is, anything I should do for it?

 

[Rtaylor]

Probably a micro brittlestar that came in as a hitchhiker. No need to do anything special for it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Common brittle star baby

 

[i cant think]

So I put a brittle star in a couple months ago. He disappeared under the rocks never to be seen again. Today I see this on the glass. It looks like a baby brittle star but I’m not sure.

thoughts? And if it is, anything I should do for it?

That’s certainly a baby brittle star! He’ll be fine in there without needing anything and since it’s not a green or red he’ll be fine with fish, inverts and corals, he’ll find food from phytoplankton in the tank along with scavenging round for food. They’re completely safe in reefs as long as it isn’t a green or red brittle star

 

[TheSeas]

That’s certainly a baby brittle star! He’ll be fine in there without needing anything and since it’s not a green or red he’ll be fine with fish, inverts and corals, he’ll find food from phytoplankton in the tank along with scavenging round for food. They’re completely safe in reefs as long as it isn’t a green or red brittle star

How many is it normal to have. Looking this AM, one side wall of my tank is completely covered. Do their populations explode and then level out? Thanks, first time I have had these guys show up in a tank.

 

[attiland]

How many is it normal to have. Looking this AM, one side wall of my tank is completely covered. Do their populations explode and then level out? Thanks, first time I have had these guys show up in a tank.

You are right. If loads of left over in the tank you will have more than they disappear. I have a few but no problem with them

 

[GuilhermeLba]

That’s certainly a baby brittle star! He’ll be fine in there without needing anything and since it’s not a green or red he’ll be fine with fish, inverts and corals, he’ll find food from phytoplankton in the tank along with scavenging round for food. They’re completely safe in reefs as long as it isn’t a green or red brittle star

The red one isn't reef safe?
I was intending to buy one, cmonn

 

[i cant think]

How many is it normal to have. Looking this AM, one side wall of my tank is completely covered. Do their populations explode and then level out? Thanks, first time I have had these guys show up in a tank.

They tend to breed a ton during water changes and then their population gets taken down by fish like Halichoeres wrasses

 

[i cant think]

The red one isn't reef safe?
I was intending to buy one, cmonn

So, if you mean red serpent stars then yes they are reefsafe, I just wasn’t sure.

 

[GuilhermeLba]

So, if you mean red serpent stars then yes they are reefsafe, I just wasn’t sure.

Yeah, the serpent one, is it ok for nano reef?

 

[i cant think]

Yeah, the serpent one, is it ok for nano reef?

It should be (as long as it’s got enough food & Big enough floor space)

 

[GuilhermeLba]

It should be (as long as it’s got enough food & Big enough floor space)

Great! Just opened a thread to get more suggestions!

 

[Andy Bliss]

This came in on a coral, looked it up on here before letting it in the tank !

 

[i cant think]

This came in on a coral, looked it up on here before letting it in the tank !

Looks safe to me! Definitely doesn’t look like a green or red brittle star. They’re excellent CUC aswell

 

[Tired]

I'm pretty sure the brittle star in the first post is an adult micro brittle, not a baby of a larger species.

The one posted just now doesn't look like either of the types of micro brittles I've seen, so I'd be more inclined to think that's a baby of something.

 

[i cant think]

I'm pretty sure the brittle star in the first post is an adult micro brittle, not a baby of a larger species.

The one posted just now doesn't look like either of the types of micro brittles I've seen, so I'd be more inclined to think that's a baby of something.

Yes, you are correct it’s a baby brittle star however, it’s not a microbrittle it’s a regular brittle which can get big however they are rarely seen aswell

 

[Uzidaisies]

Some people are looking to acquire micro brittle stars. So if you have a ton of them, you may be able to sell or give them to fellow reefers. If you were so inclined.

 

[Tired]

Yes, you are correct it’s a baby brittle star however, it’s not a microbrittle it’s a regular brittle which can get big however they are rarely seen aswell

If you mean the one in the first picture, what makes you say it's not a micro brittle? Looks about like every white micro brittle I've ever seen, and seems more likely than a single brittle star spawning on its own. Unless brittle stars can perform parthenogenesis, or gestate eggs for a long time. As far as I'm aware, they're all broadcast spawners that spawn in groups.