Seastar baby?

kobibm13 · Aug 10, 2016

I have 2 type of sea stars in my reef. one is always out and happy the other hides and for a long time I was sure it was dead. I see it from time to time and this morning I can across this in the rock bed (where I have many brine shrimp and pods growing).

This looks like the big sea star that hides all the time so I assume he reproduced? Should I leave it as it or take any special actions?

A video of it moving:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_2RlAGq3xPMNnY4ZHl3eFBjdVE/view?usp=sharing

reefwiser · Aug 10, 2016

Serpent Starfish good cleaning crew member they will clean up food and dead items in the tank.

DeniseAndy · Aug 10, 2016

They are not babies. They stay tiny like that. They are great for the tank and will multiply like crazy. When you feed, you will see all the tentacles hanging out of rocks and such.

kobibm13 · Aug 10, 2016

Thanks

I have exact same one but X10 bigger. Bought him few months back. How can it be that the small one is the size?

DeniseAndy · Aug 10, 2016

F yours is 10x it is a different species. Same common name as serpent star, but the tiny ones stay tiny. For instance I have a huge red serpent in my tank too. This thing is easily 12" end to end. But I have hundreds if not thousands of these little guys. All "serpent stars", but all different species.

kobibm13 · Aug 10, 2016

ok good to know. They look the same the big and the small and very different from my sand sifting starfish.

Where did the small guy came from then? I only bought the 2 big ones

DeniseAndy · Aug 10, 2016

They appear from rockwork, corals added, live sand, anywhere. They could have been a tiny leg on a coral or rock or live sand you added. They will multiply.

DeniseAndy · Aug 10, 2016

Of course, I could be totally wrong and it is a baby of the large ones. However, ime they are the little brittle stars that are part of standard clean up crew.

Lionfish Lair · Aug 10, 2016

I agree is a micro brittle star.

tonto95 · Aug 10, 2016

If you feed reef snow or reef frenzy you will be able to see little arms sticking out from the rock work. It will surprise you how many are in your tank. I have found them in the sump and circulation pumps.