Too Many Brittle Stars?

[terry4505]

Is it possible to have too many brittle stars? My tank (120g) is loaded with them. I assume this is the kind of thing that will regulate itself.

 

[Bluephish13]

lol i always wonder the same thing. At night they cover everything even branches of sps corals. Never noticed any damage over the years. If they did do damage i would be in trouble because i have millions.

Kind of annoying when you are trying to clean filter socks, good thing i don't run them.

From what i have seen they just keep rocks free of detritus.

 

[EllieSuz]

I had a population burst of them a while back, but now they're back to just a few. So, you're absolutely right about self regulation.

 

[tmz]

I have lots of them and have for years . I was concerned about possible irritations but the corals haven't seemed to mind them at all , so I leave them alone. When I suck one out by accident, I put it back.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

this happened very quickly while I was eating breakfast -so please excuse the blurry pic

I've never seen a pic of these stars reproducing (anywhere) before so I had to make a dash for my camera. The little fella marched out from beneath the hammer coral and started puffing away on extended legs. I only caught the very last second of the event with my picture

 

[EllieSuz]

Good catch, Gary...what a great picture!

 

[tmz]

Nice picture GAry. Thanks.

 

[coreenm]

Wow, that's cool. I have a serpent star and a brittle star. I've never actually seen a baby one, BUT I've seen what looks exactly like tiny versions of the banded serpent star legs stick out from crevices at feeding time. I've thought they might be baby stars, and based on your pic, I think I was right

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Wow, that's cool. I have a serpent star and a brittle star. I've never actually seen a baby one, BUT I've seen what looks exactly like tiny versions of the banded serpent star legs stick out from crevices at feeding time. I've thought they might be baby stars, and based on your pic, I think I was right

those legs sticking out belong to adult stars

 

[Casey8]

I used to hate them so much because they are everywhere, I think I must have had a thousand of them. But since I found out they are the one that killed all my bristle worms or whatever worms I had in my tank, now I love to have them in my tank :love2:

 

[coreenm]

those legs sticking out belong to adult stars

I don't think so. They are much too tiny to belong to adults. I'm talking thinner than your average toothpick. Plus, the spacing and size of the bands on those legs are much smaller scale than on the adult who I see frequently. Unless it is just a really SMALL adult?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Ophiactis algicola (or similar species)

Ophiactis algicola (or similar species)

went down to turn off kitchen lights and decided to look at the tank with a flashlight... saw tons of these little buggers and they didnt react to light. any idea what they are?
I have a thought but figured I would ask
andy

These are adults.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I used to hate them so much because they are everywhere, I think I must have had a thousand of them. But since I found out they are the one that killed all my bristle worms or whatever worms I had in my tank, now I love to have them in my tank :love2:

these stars don't kill bristleworms

 

[coreenm]

These are adults.

Wow, then what I saw must have been an adult because it looks the same. But I don't think it is the SAME star that I thought it was. My banded serpent star has legs that are about six inches or so long and almost as thick as a pencil. So what type of star is this exactly?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Ophiuroids are echinoderms

Ophiuroids are echinoderms

there are thousands of species. Properly identifying the correct species would likely involve a taxonomic examination.
The litlle guys you see waving out of rock and corals are adult "brittle stars".
Serpent stars have smooth snake like skin. All are related but different species.

 

[Subw00er]

Get a harlequin or bumblebee shrimp. They'll feed on the feet/legs.

 

[Steve Canyon]

I watched my big foxface eating them today.

 

[tmz]

Those fish do eat anything it seems.Mine gulps up the occasional strand of bacteria that shows up from time to time from organic carbon dosing.