baby starfish

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loganizzi

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Feb 21, 2003
Messages
102
Location
Naperville, Illinois
I have a single brittle star in my tank. He's been there for about 4 months or so.

I have started to see what look like baby starfish on my LR and in my sandbed. It's hard to tell how many, but I would guess that I have at least 3.

Including legs, they are about .5 to 1 inch in diameter. They have 5 legs attached to a central disk about the size of a pin head. The legs are white and behavior is identical to my brittle star.

I assume they are baby starfish, but don't know since I have no idea what one looks like. Assuming they are, where might they have come from? Was my brittle possibly pregnant when "she" arrived? I thought I heard that they were hermaphrodites, but I couldn't find anything definitive on how they reproduce.

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas, and if I can expect them to survive under normal/good tank conditions. I can see myself getting attached to them...

Thanks
 
The mini brittles most likely came as hitchikers on your LR ;)

It is doubtful you will see them very often, but they are beneficial detrivores and should do well in good tank conditions.
 
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