Hitchhiker.. Will he ever come out to play?

Dastins · Oct 30, 2015

I got this guy about a month ago in the live rock I purchased. He was about as big as a needle. Arms now extend about four inches but I've never seen it completely out of the LR. Could he be trapped? Well he ever venture out?

Btw, my clowns, "Happy" and "Gillmore" love to photo bomb.

cameronh · Oct 30, 2015

Nah he's fine, I get my live rock from my buddy's live rock tank\pond. I always have about 3 or 4 of those brittle stars. One of them had all its legs sticking out of a different hole. Its kinda funny to watch actually haha. I mean, just look at what's going on, and try not to smile and ask yourself what he's doing lol. Sorry, I'm easily amused.

EW_Fish · Oct 30, 2015

They will come out at night. Not always but they will

joshkirkland83 · Oct 31, 2015

Looks like a serpent star. It will venture out over time. If you are lucky he will have color to him. [emoji4]

cameronh · Oct 31, 2015

Serpent star, brittle star, he will probably remain the color he is as he looks just like mine and they have retained that color. But I was hoping mine would change color

Tahoe61 · Oct 31, 2015

Serpent Stars are large animals.

KJ · Oct 31, 2015

Mini brittle star good scavenger.

joshkirkland83 · Oct 31, 2015

Tahoe61 said:
Serpent Stars are large animals.

Well i have one in my tank thats about 5" stretched out. I ordered it from divers den. I guess according to you they ripped me off.

KJ · Oct 31, 2015

http://www.starfish.ch/c-invertebrates/schlangensterne.html

Dastins · Oct 31, 2015

joshkirkland83 said:
Well i have one in my tank thats about 5" stretched out. I ordered it from divers den. I guess according to you they ripped me off.

Forrest Gump says live rock is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.

mtfish · Oct 31, 2015

That is how they feed and is normal behavior. Rarely come further out and only at night. Great part of your CUC, though. No need to argue over common names, there are over 2000 recognized species of brittle stars. That is why scientific names are important. Some stay quite small and some get larger.

KJ · Oct 31, 2015

Dastins said:
I got this guy about a month ago in the live rock I purchased. He was about as big as a needle. Arms now extend about four inches but I've never seen it completely out of the LR. Could he be trapped? Well he ever venture out?

Btw, my clowns, "Happy" and "Gillmore" love to photo bomb.