Starfish?

[Omega]

Hi there you guys. Hope everybody is doing well

I just want to ask if this is a good thing or a bad thing, I saw this little green thing with long spike like legs(5 i think) last night it is still very small so i tried getting a shot but it really is to small. I moved between the CC but i couldn't really see its body just the legs.

TIA

 

[austinsdad]

Hitchiker star is a good thing IMO. Means you've got critters and are sustaining them.

 

[Omega]

But is this a typical thing to happen?

 

[austinsdad]

Yes. How old is your tank and have you put any new rock in recently?That's where the term "hitchhikers" comes from.

Did the legs have brittles (like cricket legs) on them or were they smooth?

 

[Omega]

Well my tank is about two months old now and i had the LR in for about a month now so this must be a good sign of the water stabilizing right?

They had brittles on them.

TIA

 

[austinsdad]

I would guess that you've had this hitchhiker for 1 month now. How didja cycle? Added the rock afterwards? What else is in the tank?

You may have a green baby brittle star. They can get huge. Size tank? Rock quantity (lbs)?

 

[Omega]

Well I am building up very slowly, this hobby is very expensive here in South africa.

I have a 30gal with CC and about 5lbs of LR.

So you say they get big? what do you mean big?

TIA and thanks for the quick reply's

 

[Omega]

sorry and one damsel called lucky had a bit of a worry about the little fellow lol

 

[austinsdad]

http://www.petsolutions.com/articles/175200.html

The green brittle star's central disk (w/o the legs) can grow to 2". With that, you might get legs as long as 5 - 6". Also described as an opportunistic feeder, maybe getting to small fish.

If it is, you've got a ways to go before he should be any concern at all.

 

[mykpoz]

i'd have to take mine out to measure it, but I am pretty sure one of my LR hitch hikers (brittle star's) are all around 6 inches long... He's Huge

 

[Omega]

So do you guys think he/she can become a problem after a few months or is there no need to worry?

 

[austinsdad]

He may never be a problem but still watch him when his body gets bigger than a nickel if you have very small, slow fish or maybe shrimp.

 

[mykpoz]

mine might have been responsible for a freshly molted cleaner that vanished... but I never saw who actually had him, but for the most part he stay between his rocks...

 

[seve1]

When my green brittle got to 6+ inches he started catching fish that "slept" down along the substrate. He was more like an octupus than a starfish.

 

[Omega]

I will have to wait and if he gets to big I will give him to someone i don't like lol, just kidding. The LFS will most probably take him of my hands.

Thanks for the answers guys.