New mystery guest in my tank. Star fish?

[dct0]

I have a 12 gal tank, and all is going well...

The other day i found that a 'mystery' arm was stealing food and taking it under my LR. After several attempt to feed it via tweezers the arm came out and i watched it spiral/cork screw around some flake and take it.... The arm is a dark red or MAYBE a shade of purple and it has white dots. It appears to move around my LR well but is always in the dark spots where i can neither take a picture or see its body. I've counted at least 4 tentacles/arms. Its rather fearless in the sense that i touched the one arm with my tweezers and it started wrapping its arm around the tweezer. The longest ive seen the arm go is maybe an inch?

Anyone have any clues what this hitch hiker may be?

 

[graveyardworm]

Sounds like a serpent or brittle seastar, or even more remotely a small octopus. It would be pretty rare to get an octo thugh.

 

[BristlewormKing]

I agree with graveyardworm - sounds like a brittlestar or serpent

 

[dct0]

Can you provide me with a recommended site where i can brush up on my knowledge of a serpent? My google-fu is failing me.

The brittlestar i've heard of, friend has several... Serpent on the other hand sounds like a possible issue that i need to investigate and possibly correct quickly.

 

[greenbean36191]

They're the same animals by different names. Hobbyists tend to make the distinction based on how prominent the arm spines are, but it's kind of a made up distinction. There is no taxonomic or behavioral justification for it.