tiny brittlestars, good/bad?

[mark97r6]

Hi,

My nano tank is swarming with tiny brittlestars kinda like the astera stars but definetly a brittle variety, they have black/grey banded legs which poke out of the rocks in a frenzy at feeding time. Their are hundreds of them in there.

Tank is doing ok so im not really worried about them, any downsides to them? Are they infact a good thing as im thinking? I was considering introducing them into my larger reef tank in large numbers good idea?

Help and suggestions appreciated
Mark

 

[68551]

I'm tagging along on this one too as I just PAID Inland Aquatics for a dozen mini brittle stars...Mine are white...

 

[Tennyson]

Yes, they are good and part of your cleanup crew.
As long as they aren't the (4+ inches or so) big green ones you are fine.

68551-they are white? are you sure they are brittle stars? the ones with long spiny arms?

 

[mark97r6]

I will try and get a pic, never seen these things for sale..

 

[DOTZ]

Yes they're great for your tank. They are harmless and help keep your tank nice and clean. I also bought mine. I got mine for a LFS and they're all white too.

 

[Octoberfest]

Yes they are good for your tank.

I have some orange gray and brown and some bright orange ones

 

[plateboy3293]

Another name for them are micro stars reef safe.

 

[goodtimes]

I have what seems like thousands of those. They first appeared about a year ago and have grown to 4" or more since. Fun to watch if nothing else.

 

[lewik006]

would tiny brittlestars be able to co-exist with nassarius snails? or would the snails devour the little guys?

 

[skippy2]

They should be fine. I have a few nassarius snails and tons of brittle stars.

 

[akidnamedchad]

I just found about a houndred of these in my sump. What do they feed on when they are that small. Also does any one have any ideas to catch them. they are in the dead part of my sump and i would like to move them in to the display so they might have a better chance to survive. Could they be baby brittle stars from the one or two i have in the display?

 

[Octoberfest]

There's a reason there are so many in that area in your sump, because something about it works for them. When you have something reproducing like this in your tank it means that your conditions are good for them, this goes for good things and pests.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13747306#post13747306 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Octoberfest
There's a reason there are so many in that area in your sump, because something about it works for them. When you have something reproducing like this in your tank it means that your conditions are good for them, this goes for good things and pests.

in other words- don't move them

from my sump (where I returned them to!)

I believe these to be Ophiactis algicola

good reef janitors.
I have hundreds (thousands?) in my main display and if you have them in your sump they're very likely in your display.

 

[Octoberfest]

Gary, you need some pods, you can order them from some places online ....that is a joke.

 

[Shawno]

o man, i want some too! they look really cool. and a good clean up crew as a plus.
i gotta order some from the lfs, or ... if some1 wants to get rid of any? lol

 

[akidnamedchad]

yea thats what i figured. thanks