Serpent Star?

[captainandy]

I recently upgraded my SH only tank to 70g and I noticed that there was extra food left over (mysis) so I added a small serpent star. I have serpents and brittles in my reef and they do a great job removing the detritis at night.

The brittles are aggressive and I would never add to a seahorse tank but I wonder if I may have made a mistake with the small serpent. Any thoughts out there?

 

[Fredfish]

That's hard to say. I recently added a brittle star that is a suspension feeder. It is just fine in my tank. I actually hand feed it from time to time because it does not goe after food.

You can always put it in your reef if it is eating all the food meant for your seahorses.

Fred

 

[captainandy]

Thanks Fred,

I was actually concerned about the star attacking the seahorses. The brittles in my reef are at least a foot across and seem awfully nasty. That's why I went with the serpent because they're less aggressive.

 

[c-horseman]

i used to have a brittle and one of my seahorses disappeared... completely. i mean i took the tank apart, moved the rocks, could never find it. the brittle star went and one year later all my other horses are alive and happy. i've no way of knowing if it was the brittle, but that thing was fast and agressive everytime i dropped a pellet in there for the crabs. and the horse that disappeared was healthy and eating.

 

[Fredfish]

The only starfish of this type in the hobby that I am aware of that eats fish, is a large green serpant star. Can't remember the latin name though.

All the brittle stars we commonly see are detritovours and scavengers.

Fred