Serpent Star eating snails????

[SkinnyPete]

I just bought a bunch of snails and acclimated them. My serpent starfish, jumped from the rocks and towards the n snails. I ordered like 50 of them...well 2 of them are now in the belly of my serpent starfish. I watched as he swallowed 2 live, shell and all.

What the???? I was not aware that starfish would eat a snail - and what is going to happen with the shell (and my other snails)???? Weird.


Sorry - nassarius snails....and make that 3!!!!!

 

[Hara]

Starfish normally do not act like that unless they are VERY hungry. You might want to offer it a piece of raw shrimp. Could you tell if the snails were already dead that it ate?

 

[SkinnyPete]

Yeah, they absolutely were not dead. I just threw them in. I've been underfeeding to get my nitrates down. Guess snail eating starfish are a side effect. I've moved him to my fuge temporarily. Thanks, Hara.

 

[seaham358]

direct feeding the star is not really going to be over feeding the tank because it will probably eat what you give it so there wont be any food floating around to break down. Mine love the raw shrimp from the stop n shop. I give them 2 small pieces at once, those arms are cool, looks like a octopus.....

 

[Guest]

What kind of serpent star is it that you have? If its a Green Serpent Star then snails are the least of your problems.. Those will eat fish once they get large.

 

[SkinnyPete]

No, it's a fancy red serpent. Had him for almost a year - never any problems. Definitely been underfed, so I'm going to start spot feeding him in my fuge for a week and return him to the main.