my first brittlestar

[hotelbravo]

I got my first brittlestar today I know little about that except that they are part of the cuc. I have had saltwater tanks for a little over a year and a half. Do they need anything special? And predators I should steer away from buying?? Are they carnivores? Do they attack fish?? Should I house more than one?? Will they hurt my copepod population?

I have answers from my LFS but I always verify I am getting the most accurate information.
Thanks in advance

 

[Betta132]

What color is it?
In future, don't buy something without research. Asking at your LFS doesn't count as research, they want to sell you things.
It's a meat-eater that will also eat gunk. No, it won't eat copepods. Feed it a piece of meat, such as a piece of shrimp, at least every week. Unless you've bought a green brittle, it shouldn't attack fish unless it's very hungry. If you have a green brittle, it's a piscivore and will kill things.

 

[hotelbravo]

Its light grey with brown stripes.

 

[hotelbravo]

What color is it?
In future, don't buy something without research. Asking at your LFS doesn't count as research, they want to sell you things.
It's a meat-eater that will also eat gunk. No, it won't eat copepods. Feed it a piece of meat, such as a piece of shrimp, at least every week. Unless you've bought a green brittle, it shouldn't attack fish unless it's very hungry. If you have a green brittle, it's a piscivore and will kill things.

Its light grey with brown stripes. your right I did not know much prior to getting him but I do research quite a bit on things before I purchase. This instance I did not feel it was required since ive seen numerous threads where people were recommending brittle stars to other people for CuC. Feeling that since they have been recommended by many in the "new to the hobby " section and those recommendations did not come with cautions or warnings about them I took an executive decision to buy this brittle star and I would adapt however needed to make this work. Hense I am asking questions on this thread.

 

[Nina51]

they tend to hide during the day and come out as soon as the lights go off. i have 2 in my 75g tank and would like a couple more. one is a smallish red one, the other is cream colored and huge. his disk is about the size of a half dollar. the red one, i rarely see. the big one comes out whenever i feed the tank, no matter what time of day. he also gets a piece of raw shrimp or scallop every 2 or 3 days, target fed. they are great scavengers!

 

[top shelf]

Without a picture and going off your description I would say it is a serpent brittle star. I think there cool and would like to get one just dont think our 20 long would be appropriate or not. Enjoy your new inhabitant.

 

[hotelbravo]

they tend to hide during the day and come out as soon as the lights go off. i have 2 in my 75g tank and would like a couple more. one is a smallish red one, the other is cream colored and huge. his disk is about the size of a half dollar. the red one, i rarely see. the big one comes out whenever i feed the tank, no matter what time of day. he also gets a piece of raw shrimp or scallop every 2 or 3 days, target fed. they are great scavengers!

when you say target fed... do you mean you find out where he is hiding in the rocks and stick the food in that area??

im thinking he can just grab the chunks of food my anemone spits out. i usually feed him a little to much i take shrimp, fish, squid, and scallops and finely chop them up and mix together. he usually spits some of the scallop up idk why i guess he cant digest the scallop.

 

[Calappidae]

Do they need anything special?

Not really, but screening powerheads and overflows would be a really good precaution. They like to wedge themselves into tight spaces. Naturally, live rock for them to hide under in the aquarium is a really important thing, that is if your tank is a bare sandbed or something.

And predators I should steer away from buying??

Just your usual obvious predators, triggers, puffers, etc. Most inverts do fine. Even harlequin shrimp will ignore brittle and serpent species.

Are they carnivores? Do they attack fish??

Betta answered this, only the green brittles will attack anything. If your fish are at the verge of death they may try and make a meal out of it.

House more than one

Feel free.

 

[hotelbravo]

Not really, but screening powerheads and overflows would be a really good precaution. They like to wedge themselves into tight spaces. Naturally, live rock for them to hide under in the aquarium is a really important thing, that is if your tank is a bare sandbed or something.



Just your usual obvious predators, triggers, puffers, etc. Most inverts do fine. Even harlequin shrimp will ignore brittle and serpent species.



Betta answered this, only the green brittles will attack anything. If your fish are at the verge of death they may try and make a meal out of it.



Feel free.

Thanks!!

 

[Nina51]

for target feeding, i put a piece of shrimp or scallop on the end of a long wooden skewer. when i see him start to get active when i feed the tank, i give him the end of the skewer and he wraps his arms around it and pulls the food off. i like to do this when the other fish are chasing food around because my red velvet fairy wrasse has been known to grab the food off the end of the skewer and make his getaway!

 

[Carini_hg]

I had a black brittle star fish. He was creepy looking and fun. Great tank addition!

 

[Principal_P]

I had one for years...very hardy...survived a tank move as well. My tank crashed last year and he was one of the casualties. You probably won't see him much during the day time...unless he's hungry. I loved watching it grab food and bring it up to it's mouth.But once the lights go out he'll go to town. They curl into tight spaces, so it's really neat to see them stretched out...it's surprising to see how big they really are. You'll enjoy him. I'm missing my brittle star...might need to get me another one...

 

[hotelbravo]

Ive had him for almost a week now. He is very active during the day. I cant seem to find him at night, I occasionally check my tank with a flash light when I get home from working a nightshift.
He eats anything my anemone spits up. Grabs a few pieces of mysis every feeding. Overall I enjoy him and now I want more.. how many can be housed in a 75 gallon. I have alot of live rock probably 100 lbs

 

[Nina51]

you could easily put 3 or 4 more in a 75g.

 

[urbanrat84]

I have a different species to you, but it has proven to be very hardy and easy to keep. Its taken me a long time to figure out whats it eating, as I don't target feed it - but one thing I have worked out is its eating my turbo snails. I don't mind as there are still plenty so it appears to be a sustainable situation.

While it appears to be peaceful towards my fish, I have noticed they won't occupy the same rock it is in - perhaps because it is so spiky.

 

[hotelbravo]

I have a different species to you, but it has proven to be very hardy and easy to keep. Its taken me a long time to figure out whats it eating, as I don't target feed it - but one thing I have worked out is its eating my turbo snails. I don't mind as there are still plenty so it appears to be a sustainable situation.

While it appears to be peaceful towards my fish, I have noticed they won't occupy the same rock it is in - perhaps because it is so spiky.

so far mine is extremely active during feeding time. he will run from one side of the 4 foot tank to the other side in seconds. He grabs pieces of mysis.. i kind of feed heavy