Serpent Question

[kalymnos1971]

I have a starfish serpent In my tank. I have been rebuilding my reef tank now for a few month. I noticed this morning it was eating one of my snails. I don't know if the snail had died or it was killed by the starfish. Is this common? I had recently added scarlet crabs, are they endangered? I did add a bubble tip anemone Saturday and I did see the star go up to it touch it and it ran off. I do not know if I should remove the star fish or not. I do want to buy a clam this weekend but I am concerned it might kill it and eat it too.

 

[Tripod1404]

Depends on the type of serpent star. Some are predatory and will eat anything they can catch, including fish. We cant say anything conclusive without knowing what species of serpent star it is.

 

[kalymnos1971]

I am not sure. It is a brownish solid color serpent.

 

[mike61289]

Can you post a picture of it?

Until you can figure out what to do with it, maybe try target feeding it to fill up its stomach.

 

[Dmorty217]

They are scavengers and will eat anything they can catch, they are also nocturnal which can make easy pickings on smaller fish. I would put it in your sump if it were me.

 

[kalymnos1971]

Here is a pic of him eating the snail.

 

[Tripod1404]

How large it is? The ones that can kill fish are often very large (as large as a dinner plate) and green. They are known as green brittle star, Ophiarachna incrassa.

 

[kalymnos1971]

I would say it is a good 8-10inches diameter. It went at blood shrimp today during feeding but the shrimp got away.

 

[Tripod1404]

I would say it is a good 8-10inches diameter. It went at blood shrimp today during feeding but the shrimp got away.

Hmm, that sure is a bit too large for comfort.