My monster brittle star (the evil kind)

aautio1004 · Nov 25, 2014

This guy has managed to make many of my fish disappear in the night. Not a fun tank occupant, but he is awesome to watch move around the tank.

Sorry, couldn't figure out how to get the pics to rotate

aautio1004 · Nov 25, 2014

And yes, I have a nasty infestation of aptasia. I hate them and can't get them to go away.

Zoey · Nov 25, 2014

I had a large green brittle star and he caught and ate my favorite mandarin fish. He got removed from tank and my heart is still broken!

aautio1004 · Nov 25, 2014

They really are pests. But they are pretty neat too. As much as I hate to lose fish it is neat to watch him get in position under an arch and wait for someone to use him as shelter.

I actually had no idea that's what he was doingn until a few weeks ago when I added and promptly "lost" three new fish in a week. Now I feel like a ******* for not knowing that's where the disappearing fish were going.

fishroomlady · Nov 25, 2014

I always thought brittle stars were pretty safe in terms of keeping them in a reef tank??

Zoey · Nov 25, 2014

Yeah mine used to arch up and hunt aswell, But didnt think it would ever take out a fish! He is very happy in his new home now anyway!

bullysam · Nov 25, 2014

My albino brittle star was sentenced to the sump

melypr1985 · Nov 25, 2014

fishroomlady said:
I always thought brittle stars were pretty safe in terms of keeping them in a reef tank??

Some are fine. I have the good (smaller) kind in my tank. These are the really big green brittle stars that eat fish and get huge. Luckily my LFS sells these and filled me in before letting pick out my star. They took a big one out for me to look at though.... pretty cool guys, even if they will eat your fish.

Eckolancer · Nov 25, 2014

I have banned my albino to the sump as well. Never had any issues just got tire of him moving frags off the rack.

aautio1004 · Nov 25, 2014

That albino is pretty awesome!! It's like a little acrobat in your sump it looks like

And yeah, mine is a pain in the butt with knocking over corals as well

Eckolancer · Nov 26, 2014

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jzaso · Nov 26, 2014

I believe that species has the nick name "green death"-one of the few that are active predators of sleeping fish-

aautio1004 · Nov 26, 2014

Yes they do, I just wish I would've known that when I bought the darn thing. I've had him for 5 years and he's only recently decided it's time to go fishing. Could've saved the lives of many cool fish tho had I known about this.

fungia_fiend · Nov 26, 2014

Not just sleeping fish. They'll twist their legs to trap a fish that goes under them for shelter even awake. I had one years ago in my first tank and watched it take out a damsel this way.

Mds4751 · Nov 27, 2014

we have 3 in our 150 gl tank and have never lost a fish, maybe try target feeding some shrimp and krill when you feed the tank. He should't hunt if he is full.

osras1 · Nov 27, 2014

Brittle starfish live by smell, they dont have a brain. So they dont "hunt" . The reason they are put in a CUC is because they eat dead or dying fish where the deteriorating fish give off a smell. Same as other dead things and fish excrement in your tank. Green brittle starfish are known to kill live fish, Maybe they're a different species.

Big Wave · Nov 27, 2014

Mine ate some chromis. I didn't really mind until I watched him tear off hunks of cespitularia and try to eat it. He was gone after that.

aautio1004 · Nov 28, 2014

Well after having this guy in my tank for 5-6 years and losing many fish and shrimp to him, I finally pulled the trigger and brought him to my lfs and traded him in for a lawnmower blenny. Coincidently the blenny is one of the fish that has been taken out by him at least twice over the years as well as many shrimp, chromis, wrasse, and psuedochromis. I'm definitely gonna miss watching him crawl out of the rock work at feeding time, but I think my decision was for the best.