Are serpent stars reef safe?

[kimberly]

We have two as a part of a clean up crew. Recently we have had a couple of fish go missing, no bodies or anything left behind. Today I noticed another fish dead and one of the serpant stars appears to be eating it, but I am not sure if he killed it or not. This is the first time I have seen one of the fish dead, every other time it has just disappeared, but they have also been smaller fish. Could the serpent stars be killing the fish, or is it more likely that they are doing their clean up job and scavenging?

Thanks,
Kimberly
husband's salt water reef is 92 gallon

 

[MYTY1705]

I would think they were cleaning the tank. They may take down a sick fish laying on the sand. The crabs and other cleaning crew would all eat the fish if it were stuck somewhere in the rock.

 

[MadManMac]

I went into my office this morning around 3 am, I had a flight to catch, and just for giggles I grabbed the flash light. To my great surprise, I found my brittle star ravaging my Xenia. I could not believe my eyes, I thought it had been one of my Tangs that was nipping at Paris, and now I find out it is my huge brittle star. Well he is really ugly so I guess that is the final straw for him, back to the store this weekend. Point is, keep a watchful eye, you never know who is eating whom!

 

[RLG2182]

8O

I thought brittle stars were reef safe! I certainly don't want my first coral introduced to my tank eaten before I can enjoy it

*off to research I go*

 

[Hara]

Brittle Stars are reef safe. Green Brittle stars are not necessarily "fish safe" but that is not the same thing as being reef safe. My guess as far as the xenia is concerned is that the xenia had some food particles that IT was eating and the starfish thought it should share. I see this happen quite often. No harm is usually done to the coral IME.

I also have a sea apple, when it traps meaty foods, I have an eel that very gently, plucks the meat away from the tentacles of the sea apple.

 

[Fluff]

I agree with Hara. I would believe he was helping himself to some food rather than harming the coral.

 

[MadManMac]

Well todays update is that the Xenia is missing and all I see in its place are three little, or rather large, hairy arms! He ate my Xenia, or pulled him behind a rock, so I guess I 3will go looking later.

 

[austinsdad]

What color is the star MadManMac?

or pulled him behind a rock

Was the xenia on a small rock he could pull?


Even still, sound like he's going back anyway, huh?

 

[Jason]

no they aren't.

they get way to big and are opportunistic.

Just do a search online, it will say "bigger specimens feed on small fish" or something to that extent.

they are sold as reef safe, but they aren't.

 

[Fluff]

Larger specimens like the green stars can be fish killers. I've had a red/yellow brittle star in my reef for over two years. The starfish is a foot across with a disk size of about the size of the top of a soda can. I have xenya totally taking over my tank and never had an issue. I guess it's not unheard of behavior, all fish are different but, I would think it's uncommon behavior.

 

[oyf709]

Add on top to all of the fish or even coral eating, any starfish will search for any small invertabrates in the sand(almost all of those filter feeding worms),That is why i never try to get one even my wife thinks they are cute =.="

 

[noodus]

dark banded serpent star. it's got tons of spines on it... doesn't look like the picture. i got the this star a week ago.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1742

i've had it for a week, last night it changed where it sleeps.... it sleeps in the same rock as my fishes, should i be worried?

 

[Brodie]

I've had my Brittle Star for about a year, and have had no problem with it eating corals at all. I've seen it go for my CBS when it was molting, but that's about it.

 

[kimberly]

I saw this post and thought "hmmm, I had the same question a while back, lo & behold, I read part way through the original post thinking "this is awfully familiar sounding" just to realize that it *is* my post.

Anyway, noodus, our serpent stars are the same ones as the ones in your link. I have decided that they did not kill the fish, but enjoyed a meal as part of their clean up duties. They move around all the time, hanging out in different rocks. They have gotten quite a bit bigger than when I first posted, but we haven't lost a single fish since that post.

 

[noodus]

phew... well thanks that's what i wanted to hear.. i like my star i just don't want to to come at the cost of my fish. nice to know someone is in the same boat as me i was thinking i should feed it so it doesn't get too hungry.. do you feed yours? if so what do you feed it?

 

[austinsdad]

Try feeding sinking pellets.

 

[kimberly]

We target feed ours when we feed the fish. We use a turkey baster and some green frozen food (no clue what it is, we buy it from the lfs and it is in an unmarked ziplock bag). I love to watch the "octopus" arms come out and wrap around a piece of food! Ours are getting pretty big now, the central disk is about as big as a 50 cent piece!