How to get rid of bristlestar?

[LovinDaReef]

I found a tiny baby bristle star, how should I go about removing one? Any sort of food it likes I can use to trap it?

 

[Tennyson]

Why would you want to remove it from your tank? How big is it. If its under 5-7 inches long (one arm all the way to the other) then its a sponge brittle star. They aren't harmful and will only stay in one spot (usually is the holes of a rock or a coral) They are good guys, They clean corals if they are hosting one, or just sit there with there arms out, and its almost impossible to remove them because no matter what you feed them, they don't leave their hideout and only get food thats placed right on top of them. Believe me I've tried to remove my first one that was a hitchhiker, thinking it was a bristle worm, I tried for 2 days, and I just ripped its arms off.

They are really common hitchhikers, you probably don't realize it, but there are probably many more inside your rocks. I ripped a piece of rock from a bigger chunk, there were 4 three inch long ones under it.

I don't see why you'd want to remove it. But if you really want to, I'd say its almost impossible, you could pinch all their arms off with tweezers until they die. Kind of harsh and cruel, but thats the only way I'd say.

 

[LovinDaReef]

I hate the look of the spiny arms in my tank. My friend had one in a 30 gallon, in a year it grew and killed some fish. Looked ugly in my opinion. He had the green one though.

 

[Patrick12]

You can bait a fish trap and go after them at night, but I really do not see the need. They are great detrivores. Killing fish is really only gonna be aproblem if you have really slow movers or really small fish......and even then it is unlikely.

 

[LovinDaReef]

I have a really small fish right now, a bicolored blenny who isn't even an inch. Not saying the tiny star will take down the blenny, I just hate the look of bristle stars.

 

[Fat Man]

Since you found it, and didn't purchase it, it is likely a "mini" brittle star and is a detrivore. It is highly unlikely to grow much bigger than it is or bother any of your fish regardless of size ,unless they die of other causes. It is also highly likely you have more. They are considered good to have (people pay for them). If you feel you must get rid of them for aesthetic reasons Patrick offer a reasonable suggestion.

 

[Tennyson]

I really don't see why, but if you want to kill them, you could get a siphon or baster, and blow freshwater on it for a long time, since they are sensitive to that kind of stuff.

 

[petoonia]

They arent going to get big enough to harm a fish, they are micro brittle stars.

 

[lloydkeller]

they stay small are not interested in you fish and are a great edition to any tank they do no harm and wheres theres one most likely more are around

 

[Chorethorious]

Well, since you have a small tank you can always just go in after it. You'll find it attached to the bottom or between your LR. So, just pick up a few pieces and pluck him off.

I have to side with all the other comments though. I've yet to see one actually take down a live fish. Not saying it doesn't happen, but you'd really have to starve the guy before he'd do something like that. haha