Brittle Star eating fish?

[zenzence]

Hey everyone its been awhile. Um so I got my 90 set up and running in my new pad and well. So far I am missing a cleaner shrimp and a clown in the past 3 months. Could it be my brittle star he is getting a little big now. If so how would one go about removing him without tearing down the tank.

 

[bureau13]

Mine come squirming out of the rocks whenever I feed the tank. Given that if I hold a piece of silverside down to him he'll latch on and refuse to let go, I would think he would be pretty easy to catch. Not sure if they're all that bold come feeding time however...

jds

 

[thor32766]

yes, brittles can eat what you said, but he would need to be a nice size one.

 

[zenzence]

perhaps I should feed it once a week or bi-weekly? Will this keep it at bay and perhaps leave my live stock alone?

 

[Sk8r]

If it's a green brittle star [kind of olive drab] it is capable of eating fish.

 

[artful-dodger]

Ah, the green Death Star!

 

[thor32766]

yes brittle stars are capable of eating fish. plain and simple.

 

[reefchiquita]

oh this sounds so familiar.....
let's see....green brittle starfish in tank.....7 new baby chromis added to tank...1 chromis MIA every morning for every other day for the next week....oh yeah, it was an all-u-can-eat chromis buffet for my starfish at night!

my starfish never came out when it was time to feed the other fish, perhaps i would get a glimpse of an outstretched leg through the rocks, feeling around for food, but that's about it. never saw the damn sucker come out.

THEN! i waited til it was dark...past midnight. i turned on an ambient room light and THERE HE WAS!! Out and about, stretched as tall as he could, flat up against the back of the tank, writhing and twisting to get at a scared chromis only an inch or 2 away from his leg!!!!!!!! OH I GOT YOU NOW!....he went to the lfs the next day.

my advice, catch him at night. he'll be rolling about, but they are fast suckers. good luck!