Serpant star

[lando]

Hi all. I have not added much to my tank in a very long time and am getting the itch. The LFS has a very nice green serpent star and I am thinking of getting. I know they are great scavengers and reef safe but I am still a bit hesitant. They are rock dwellers and I am worried about it toppling my LR. Anyone have experience with them? Also, I do have a sand-sifter star already, any problems there? Thanks.

 

[Hara]

I love my green serpent stars. Some people tell horror stories about them hunting down the smaller fish, so beware of that. I have never had any of them topple rocks and I had some huge ones.

 

[lando]

Thanks, Hara. Next question...What is the main difference in behavior between the green serpent and the green brittle star? Which is a better choice?

 

[Hara]

The brittle stars are my favorites actually, I mis-spoke in my reply to you. They are the more aggressive of the stars. (but they have this awesome look to their disk, almost like someone did tapestry work on them!)

 

[mjvincent]

I have a brittle star that crawls within my LR and I haven't had any prooblems yet...

 

[seaham358]

from what I have read and heard the brittle stars can be killers in the tank,small fish , shrimp are not safe if they choose to eat them.
I have a Tan serpent and he has been a great star. He has not hrut a thing that I know of and it has not moved any LR, (I dont think it could)
I feed him shrimp every other week. I also have a SS star and they do not bother each other.

 

[MT79]

...What is the main difference in behavior between the green serpent and the green brittle star? Which is a better choice?

I would go w/ a " serpent" star. The "Serpent" and "Brittle" distinction only exist w/ in the hobby. Scientifically speaking they are the same. There is little to no difference in behavior(excluding the Green brittle-Ophiarachna Incrassata)

The brittle stars are my favorites actually... (but they have this awesome look to their disk, almost like someone did tapestry work on them!)

The mottled oral disk is what convinced me to buy a green brittle(O. Incrassata). My personal experience w/ it: ate a perfectly healthy shrimp goby within the first few days of adding it and eventually ate a cleaner shrimp albeit it was wounded by a P. pseudo first. Green brittles are more predatory than most other brittle/serpent stars for what ever reason, although they are all opportunist.
This link should be useful for you- http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestars.htm

 

[i have crabs]

definatly get a serpent or a brittle but i would staw away from the green ones just because of all the horror stories and thier more agressive behaviour

 

[lando]

Great info folks, thanks! The reason I ask about the difference is because the LFS has a huge green perpent star, but they also have a smaller yellow brittle star that I may instead. So are these stars more opportunistic scavengers or true predators?

 

[quarryshark]

My serpent has been in my tank since the beginning and has reach a size of at least a foot wide now. To the best of my knowledge he has bothered no one.

 

[MT79]

So are these stars more opportunistic scavengers or true predators?

Scavangers. It's only the green brittle(incrassata) that actively hunts IME. I target feed my serpent star occasionally just to be sure he's happy. They are a great addition to your clean up crew IMO. HTH