Brittle star. Is my clown fish safe?

[delux23]

So my sister came home with a brittle star, I don't know much about these guys however, I've read that they will eat fish? My clown is a baby probably 1in.


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[Sniperhank]

Totally reef safe. They aren't predators.

 

[coralbandit]

If that is a green brittle they ARE known to eat fish!
search it for yourself!
The Echinoblog: Giant Green Brittle Stars of DEATH!! When they ATTACK--AGAIN!!


Green Brittle Starfish vs Green Serpent Starfish - Reef Central Online Community


Hers two quick links!

 

[Reefing Madness]

Green Brittle Stars will grab anything small enough that swims by, that can't get out of its grasp. It can eat your small Clownfish.
Reefsafe, yes.
Fish safe, no way. Well, at least not small fish safe.

 

[54seaweed]

if you keep it well fed you'll be fine , they are more likely to go after a slow sickly fish over a healthy one , if thats a reef I would be more concerned about that choc chip

 

[mr_X]

Green brittle stars lift their bodies up and make a trap of sorts, and wait for a fish to swim under them. I have seen the trap,. but never witnesses it trap anything. Is this one green? If not, it should be ok.

 

[PB_Smith]

Green brittle stars lift their bodies up and make a trap of sorts, and wait for a fish to swim under them. I have seen the trap,. but never witnesses it trap anything. Is this one green? If not, it should be ok.

This ^^^
they do so at night in the hope that fish will decide to sleep in the nice little overhang, and then they twist themselves around and trap the fish in their arms. That takes less than a second.
I have lost three fish, main suspect is my green brittle star, who is now in solitary.

 

[mr_X]

The Echinoblog: Giant Green Brittle Stars of DEATH!! When they ATTACK--AGAIN!!

 

[delux23]

Thanks guys! I'll keep him fed and keep an eye on him. So far he's been under a rock and all I can see is a few arms lol


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[coralbandit]

Feed him good!
He will hunt at night when your clown is sleeping!
FEED HIM!

 

[Reefing Madness]

You can actually put the shrimp in your hand and haave him come get it from you. I had one for a time, but my fish are monsters, during feeding time, he would grab the mysis in his spikes, and take swipes at my fish, it was funny to watch.

 

[delux23]

Well it looks like I'll be taking him back to the Lfs .. Today I purchased a baby trigger fish which was happy and eating within 30min of being in the tank. I go out to dinner, return about 2 hours later and he's gone. Main suspect was the brittle due to the fact he wouldn't touch a piece of shrimp i offered him ?


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[Reefing Madness]

You'd be able to tell if it was the starfish, he'd be all fat and alot more plump than what you've seen.

 

[PB_Smith]

Well it looks like I'll be taking him back to the Lfs .. Today I purchased a baby trigger fish which was happy and eating within 30min of being in the tank. I go out to dinner, return about 2 hours later and he's gone. Main suspect was the brittle due to the fact he wouldn't touch a piece of shrimp i offered him ��


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unlikely, not impossible, but unlikely.
the brittle stars mainly do their thing at night and don't really actively "hunt" fish, they set a trap and lay in wait for a meal.

Make sure you check every crack and crevice, triggers are pretty good at tucking themselves away in the rockwork.

 

[delux23]

unlikely, not impossible, but unlikely.
the brittle stars mainly do their thing at night and don't really actively "hunt" fish, they set a trap and lay in wait for a meal.

Make sure you check every crack and crevice, triggers are pretty good at tucking themselves away in the rockwork.

Yeah it's true he was swimming around this morning lol I moved every rock looking for him ... Thank god hahah


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