Need advice on Serpent Star Fish

[FroMan]

I have two reef safe serpent starfish in my tank.

I just got back from vacation and found one of them mostly ripped to shreds with one tentacle intact, a quarter intact tentacle, and the other three torn off the body and AWOL in the tank some where (or consumed by cleanup crew, bristle worms etc.).

1. Should I remove the badly damaged one or does it have a chance to regrow its arms and live on? I can put it down in my QT or equipment tank were it won't be bothered by other inhabitants.

2. Is it possible that the two star fish were fighting? I've never seen them close together.

3. Is it not recommended to keep more than one in a tank?

Tank is a standard 180g.

Thanks

FroMan

 

[Ron Reefman]

I have 2 serpent stars (about 12" dia) in my 180g DT for 3 years and I've seen them spend time close to eachother and I've never seen any signs of aggression. And I have other inverts as well (mithrax crabs, halloween hermit, sea cucumber, sea apple, banded coral shrimp, pistol shrimp) and no conflicts.

I'd pull the damaged star out and move it to the refugium, QT, sump, any place safe with no other critters. I'd also make it a point to feed it shrimp or silversides or some other meaty food at least once a week until it recovers.

Good luck.

 

[DanK13]

I have an 800g with 5 serpents in them and they do fine together. They each have their own niche but occasionally do bump into one other without any issues. I see them "battling" the tiger tails more often but still never any damage. I would quarantine it so it can regen its arms. On a side note I have encountered a 120g with a single serpent that got shredded. I chock it up to the filefish. Do you have any fish with teeth?

 

[Niven]

Any change in salinity? Or how long have you had them and were they slowly acclimated?

 

[mgraf]

I have a 120 with two 8" brittle stars and 2 10" serpent stars. They are often close to each other, even intertwined and never an issue of aggression. A few months back I was up late at night and heard one of my mp10's rattling and making some horrible sounds. Two arms off of one serpent star got caught in the mp10 and were cut off. They are now about an inch long and growing back.

 

[jimsplace]

I had a crab (didn't know about) that took off all the arm of mine, put him in the sump and they grew back.

 

[FroMan]

Thanks for the feed back everyone.

I have an 800g with 5 serpents in them and they do fine together. They each have their own niche but occasionally do bump into one other without any issues. I see them "battling" the tiger tails more often but still never any damage. I would quarantine it so it can regen its arms. On a side note I have encountered a 120g with a single serpent that got shredded. I chock it up to the filefish. Do you have any fish with teeth?

I don't have any fish with with teeth to my knowledge. I have 4 tangs, a pair of clowns, 6 line wrasse, a fox face, and a flame angel.

Any change in salinity? Or how long have you had them and were they slowly acclimated?

I have had the serpent stars for quite a while the first has been in the tank for about a year. I added a second about 6 months ago after the first.

As far as I know my salinity has been stable. I'll admit I only check it when I do a water change every other week. I do have an ATO that keeps things in check.

 

[Agu]

I would suspect you have a rogue crab that got hungry while you were on vacation.

 

[Steve175]

Nasty crab. Do some inspections at night. Put the hurt guy in a safer place for now (sump, refug, etc).