White with black bands coming out of my live rock

[DTack2]

Ok, can someone tell me what this is?

 

[bribo12]

Brittle starfish.

 

[DTack2]

do they ever come out of the Live Rock?

 

[bribo12]

Nope they just stick their arms out to catch food

 

[Wy Renegade]

They are a brittle star ~ different from a starfish, and yes they come out of the live rock. At night in particular, if you use a red light you will find/see them crawling around. They inhabit both the rock and the substrate (if it is present) in a mature aquarium, and you often find fairly sizable populations in your sump if you have one.

 

[bribo12]

They are a brittle star ~ different from a starfish, and yes they come out of the live rock. At night in particular, if you use a red light you will find/see them crawling around. They inhabit both the rock and the substrate (if it is present) in a mature aquarium, and you often find fairly sizable populations in your sump if you have one.

They are still starfish though...

 

[Wy Renegade]

They are still starfish though...

Actually, they are not . . .

The Ophiuroidea

They are echinoderms of the order Ophiurida and only superficially resemble true starfish of the order asteroidea.

 

[bribo12]

Actually, they are not . . .

The Ophiuroidea

They are echinoderms of the order Ophiurida and only superficially resemble true starfish of the order asteroidea.

Yes I am familiar with their taxonomy. Also it is the class Asteroidea and Ophiuroidea not order. I never said they were true starfish but for general classification in the hobby they are a "brittle starfish".

 

[bribo12]

Oh both Asteroidea and Ophiuroidea belong to the subphylum Asterozoa so id generally classify them both as "starfish".

 

[Wy Renegade]

Yes I am familiar with their taxonomy. Also it is the class Asteroidea and Ophiuroidea not order. I never said they were true starfish but for general classification in the hobby they are a "brittle starfish".

Thank you for the correction.

Oh both Asteroidea and Ophiuroidea belong to the subphylum Asterozoa so id generally classify them both as "starfish".

Frankly, I've never heard the term brittle starfish before, so I would disagree that is proper "general classification in the hobby". Why confuse the issue when it is both easier and shorter to simply state that they are brittle stars? When people see the term starfish, they think short arms and tube feet, brittle stars have neither.

I understand your general classification, but isn't it better to be specific if you know the specifics? If we want to get technical, I believe the correct terminilogy used today is actually seastars rather than starfish is it not?

 

[bribo12]

Thank you for the correction.

Frankly, I've never heard the term brittle starfish before, so I would disagree that is proper "general classification in the hobby". Why confuse the issue when it is both easier and shorter to simply state that they are brittle stars? When people see the term starfish, they think short arms and tube feet, brittle stars have neither.

I understand your general classification, but isn't it better to be specific if you know the specifics? If we want to get technical, I believe the correct terminilogy used today is actually seastars rather than starfish is it not?

I agree with you. The general classification was just saying I know a bunch of people who will say brittle starfish. I've also seen them labeled in pet stores this way. It is better to understand taxonomy of the animals we keep. I was just stating that true starfish and the brittle stars are so similarly related that the term starfish has been used to describe both. Lol sea stars, ill still be using the starfish term. Just starting a friendly debate, thanks

 

[Wy Renegade]

I agree with you. The general classification was just saying I know a bunch of people who will say brittle starfish. I've also seen them labeled in pet stores this way. It is better to understand taxonomy of the animals we keep. I was just stating that true starfish and the brittle stars are so similarly related that the term starfish has been used to describe both. Lol sea stars, ill still be using the starfish term. Just starting a friendly debate, thanks

Fair enough. I'm sure that your not the only one who will continue to use starfish. In truth I find myself using the term quite often as well , although I do try to make a point of educating students on the the debate as it were.

 

[bribo12]

Fair enough. I'm sure that your not the only one who will continue to use starfish. In truth I find myself using the term quite often as well , although I do try to make a point of educating students on the the debate as it were.

Haha true and I'm a senior college biology student so I like educating people on this stuff too.

 

[chefbill]

Small world and all that. I just got back from my LFS with some new zoas shrooms and a candycane. So I set up my drip acclamation station and start it dripping. An hour goes by and my return pump is sucking air as the tank water got too low. I turn off the pump and decide to spot feed my Duncans, frogspawn and other candycane. So I'm watching the little guys eat and lo and beold what do I see but arms with white and black bands. I dropped a mysis on each spot and the sucked it right in. I had never noticed them before.(edited for typos)