Is this brittle star the "green brittle star" which can eat fish?

[jayjay5531]

I recently got a brittle star from saltwaterfish.com https://www.saltwaterfish.com/product-brittle-starfish labeled "Ophiocoma sp." Now that it's arrived, I am wondering if it's actually the green brittle star (Ophiarachna incrassata) which I am told eats small live fish. How do I know if this guy is dangerous? Can any of y'all tell from the photos if it's the green brittle star? I've taken photos of it still in the bag.

 

[HBtank]

What made you think that?

On initial glance it looks like you do not have one (a green) simply based on leg markings and photos, and while I am not a big star guy, the oral disc does not seem the same as the greens (which always appear to be proportionately larger relative to their arms than "safe" stars).

 

[HBtank]

Don't blame you though. ALL big bristles just kind of creep me out, they all look evil to me for some reason..... I need my stars colorful and stuck on a rock

 

[saf1]

It doesn't look like the traditional Green Brittle Starfish that is predatory by nature but then again I'm not sure what you actually ordered The scientific name you are looking for is ophiarachna incrassata. The name you listed is difference so you are probably ok assuming they shipped correctly. Green brittle starfish are pretty obvious by size, color, etc. They are predatory and will eat both by scavenging and hunting. I used to have one in my 100 gallon and I'd see it at night standing like a cup if you will (legs) with disc about 1 or 2" above the sand. Something would crawl under and it would drop and wrap it up for a quick snack.

Good luck - looks ok to me but I'm not an expert and always hold the right to be incorrect

 

[mcgyvr]

Looks like a normal black brittle star to me...

 

[ReefkeeperZ]

Green death are usually very obviously green that just appears to be a normal brittle star to me. again like others have posted i'm not gonna swear to it but I have never seen one marked like that so you should be safe.

 

[jayjay5531]

Thanks all! To be honest he's looking much more reddish-black now and not at all green (maybe that was just a stress color? Idk) I think we're safe

 

[Bent]

Just FYI, all star fish are opportunistic. Small enough fish, sleeping in the rocks, if the starfish can get the drop on it, it’ll eat it.

I saw my big serpent star take down a small xanthid crab.