Serpent Star... returns from "Holiday"

[RudeBoy]

Okay, after about 2 weeks of hiding, my Serpent Star decided to show itself around 6am this morning I feared that I lost him after raising my Magnesium levels a few weeks ago, because he wasn't coming out during feeding times. No matter what I put in the tank, he never showed his face. He's the greediest guy in there too. I've had him for 3 years and I was hoping that he hadn't died.

Are these guys known for disappearing like that?

 

[musty baby]

I see mine once every couple months.

 

[RudeBoy]

Geesh... I went from see mine everytime food hit the water, to not seeing him at all. I was happy to see him again, to say the least.

 

[slojmn]

In a tank your size, 65g in your signature, I would expect to see a leg or more quite often, especially at feeding. Serpent stars are nocturnal and will shy away from the light, except at feeding time. I've had my two serpent stars, a red one and a purple/lavendar one for close to 7 years and they are voracious at feeding times. In my 70g BB tank with lots of open rock work for good flow I always see a leg sticking out somewhere, mine are 1ft. or more from tip to tip so they can't really hide to well, hehehe. Great scavengers and lots of fun to feed with a piece of shrimp on a long stick for visitors .

 

[MC Lighting]

feeding star?

feeding star?

I have 2 of them in my 180 now and I do see a leg once in a while but would love to get them to come out when there are visitors can you give me some hints on how your getting them to come out wiht the shrimp what type and such...

 

[slojmn]

I just stick a big wad, the size of a quarter, of some sort of meaty food like shrimp, scallop, clam meat, or whatever on the end of one of those wood skewers. I get it near the leg of one of the serpent stars and entice them out. They fly out into the open to get the meat. Once they are trained to eat off the skewer thhey come out like clockwork when they sense the food by a leg. It really is easy

 

[MC Lighting]

now that I have a nem in the 26 gal I just picked up I will try that since the nem likes shrimp anyways I will just get more...