Monster from the deep!

[thincat]

look what came out of hiding<<

 

[austinsdad]

What????

 

[fshfrk58]

looks like a bristle star?

 

[austinsdad]

OK. Now I'm really confused. What are you guys looking at?

 

[fshfrk58]

If its the spiny thing were looking at, isn't it a sea star? Maybe were looking beyond that.

 

[Crepe]

How big is it...it looks rather huge.

 

[Sadielynn]

Yep green brittle star .. I echo the question of how big is he !!

 

[austinsdad]

Why can't I see what ya'll are looking at???

 

[capj64]

creepy...how often does he come out??

Ray, sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees

 

[Crepe]

Can you see it now?

 

[austinsdad]

I can see!! I can see!!

 

[Hinds04]

I have like 10 of these in my tank... all extremely small

 

[cmor1701d]

It's a brittle star, but I'm not sure if it's a Green brittle star. I have two (brown) in my tank that are a great part of my cleanup crew.

"Green Brittle Star of the genus Ophiarachna. This animal is a predatory fish eater, that does indeed do a spiffy janitorial job when small... but grows quickly, and under darkness of night can/does learn to eat aquarium fishes. This species has been documented to arch up in "sleeping caves" of captive fishes and drop down on unsuspecting meals"

 

[thincat]

It's a black brittle star.. comes out only on a blue moon. I normally see only part of one tenticle at the most. This was a great shot of it. Not a Green brittle star because as cmor stated greens are predatory.

 

[maxima423]

ist a centipede!!!!!

 

[Sadielynn]

I can see!! I can see!!

LOL

 

[Jimbo7]

This guy who owned a LFS near me had one where the center on it was palm sized. Said he had it since his first tank like 15 years ago or something. Not sure on the specific genus. Really creepy when they get that big.

 

[thincat]

I now close the door to my bedroom when I go to sleep! LOL

 

[capj64]

How big is he?

 

[thincat]

This star is about 8" tip to tip.