Just purchased a brittle star

[bluetanggirl]

I just purchased a brittle star from a local saltwater fish store and was wondering if anyone can give me the pros and cons of a brittle star??

The things that I have in my tank are:
2 black clowns
a cleaner shrimp
2 sea urchins
an anemone

 

[Tennyson]

Pros:
These are really great scavengers, usually only coming out at night or whenever they smell food in the water.

Cons:
They can be dangerous to small fish easy enough for them to catch. Especially weak or dead fish. Alot of people have had different experiences with them but it can happen if they are hungry and happen to come across a rock-dwelling fish at night. Usually they trap them at night.

So your two black clowns will be fine since they usually swim around, fish like Firefish or watchmen gobies may be at risk.

 

[bluetanggirl]

I also forgot to mention that I have a chromis and a brown leather... Would the brittle star stay away from that??? Also what do they eat and how do u feed them?

 

[odiest]

As tennyson said, they are scavengers, you may see a leg come out of the rock to grab food as it goes by. I've usually seen them eat meaty foods like mysis shrimp.

Dave

 

[bluetanggirl]

Would brine shrimp be ok because that I all that I have??

 

[odiest]

That should be fine.

 

[tgray3]

I've got big one (8") and i feed it shrimp pellets a couple times a week. If he gets hungry he goes after the turbo snails. He has yet to actually kill/eat one but he does go after them.

 

[Lance M.]

What color is the brittle star?

Green's will eat fish. I also had a black with white stripes (was a hitchhiker) brittle that would catch and eat fish.

The normal ones (solid brown/black) are great scavengers. I love mine and I'm currently looking for another for my new setup.

 

[bluetanggirl]

I have the brown one.

 

[fkbsar]

I also have the black brittle star and he is a great scavenger. When I feed the BTA it's weekly bit of shrimp I make sure that I break off a piece and find the brittle star which is usually hidden in the rocks with its legs searching for the shrimp that it smells. Then I just dangle the shrimp in front of him. It's funny to see the leg come out searching. Then I place the piece of shrimp on the leg and it curls the shrimp up in its leg and makes it disappear into it's hiding spot in the rocks. I don't believe you have to spot feed them but this is my preference. I have never had a problem with my black brittle star. When I first started reefing I got a green brittle star, which is a known fish eater, but I never had a problem with him either because I did the same feeding - when I decided to keep some smaller fish I traded him in and he was huge.

 

[DJPB]

I also have the black brittle star and he is a great scavenger. When I feed the BTA it's weekly bit of shrimp I make sure that I break off a piece and find the brittle star which is usually hidden in the rocks with its legs searching for the shrimp that it smells. Then I just dangle the shrimp in front of him. It's funny to see the leg come out searching. Then I place the piece of shrimp on the leg and it curls the shrimp up in its leg and makes it disappear into it's hiding spot in the rocks. I don't believe you have to spot feed them but this is my preference. I have never had a problem with my black brittle star. When I first started reefing I got a green brittle star, which is a known fish eater, but I never had a problem with him either because I did the same feeding - when I decided to keep some smaller fish I traded him in and he was huge.

I too have a large black/brown brittle star, and youre more than welcome to adopt him. All you have to do is catch him btw, I am serious, and live in Indy as well.

Paul

 

[fkbsar]

LOL No thank you. I only have a 72g BF right now and a small bioload so I think one brittle star is sufficient. I do know of someone that might want one though I'll see if he is interested. He bought my 125g when I downgraded.