Black banded brittle star.

Roscovitch · 06/21/2018, 08:17 AM

A big one and the question is. Will it eat my shrimps or calms?

Roscovitch · 06/21/2018, 08:19 AM

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bl...mMoOfe5WqO-QM:

Uncle99 · 06/21/2018, 08:40 AM

They eat what they can catch!

Roscovitch · 06/21/2018, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

They eat what they can catch!

Does that mean it will eat my clam?

sde1500 · 06/21/2018, 09:25 AM

well, clams are pretty easy to catch.

Roscovitch · 06/21/2018, 09:30 AM

Iv' had mixed reports on this.Have heard they won't touch living clams.

Uncle99 · 06/21/2018, 09:40 AM

Yup, I have heard this before, It could be be true, but I would hate to learn the hard way. I would not put a brittlestar of any size in my DT because when they get hand sized, they can eat anything they can catch, or at minimum, walk over and PO corals, maybe get a sleeping fish at night.

Sorry, For me, I don't allow stars, brittlestar, urchins, or crabs of any type.
Except for the urchin, they really do quite little to clean up things, this is easier achieved by keeping perfect water frequently changed and a small toothbrush.

Urchins are great cleaners but may mow down anything in its path.

Sorry, just IMO

Roscovitch · 06/21/2018, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

Yup, I have heard this before, It could be be true, but I would hate to learn the hard way. I would not put a brittlestar of any size in my DT because when they get hand sized, they can eat anything they can catch, or at minimum, walk over and PO corals, maybe get a sleeping fish at night.

Sorry, For me, I don't allow stars, brittlestar, urchins, or crabs of any type.
Except for the urchin, they really do quite little to clean up things, this is easier achieved by keeping perfect water frequently changed and a small toothbrush.

Urchins are great cleaners but may mow down anything in its path.

Sorry, just IMO

No: I totally hear you and many thank for your response. He was hand sized so quiet big. Iv'e got plenty of LR in my sump so decided that was the best place for him. We'll see how long he lasts in there, Theres plenty of detritus
and quiyte a few sponges and amphipods not to mention a few rough crabs. Thanks again.

Uncle99 · 06/21/2018, 11:27 AM

That is a perfect spot for him!
He may never bother anything......but chances are.....vey good choice....clams are very expensive but with good care....last forever....

billdogg · 06/21/2018, 01:10 PM

The pictures you linked to are of a common banded or harlequin serpent star. IMHO, they are a great addition to any tank that can supply them with enough to eat. They are scavengers, so the little extra food that makes it to the bottom will keep it happy. A small piece of something meaty on a stick will get it out. I have never had a problem with one in 30 years. I consider them to be a great part of the CUC. The only way they're gonna be eating any of your livestock is if it was already dead.

The only serpent star (well, a cousin) that you need to be wary of is the Green Brittle Star. They do actively hunt at night for sleeping fish. Although very cool to watch, when you realize that it is trying to eat your $80 investment, it all of a sudden becomes not quite as cool. Although I've heard that occasionally the Red Serpent will go after fish as well, I've never had a problem with them.

hth

Anemone · 06/21/2018, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdogg

The pictures you linked to are of a common banded or harlequin serpent star. IMHO, they are a great addition to any tank that can supply them with enough to eat. They are scavengers, so the little extra food that makes it to the bottom will keep it happy. A small piece of something meaty on a stick will get it out. I have never had a problem with one in 30 years. I consider them to be a great part of the CUC. The only way they're gonna be eating any of your livestock is if it was already dead.

The only serpent star (well, a cousin) that you need to be wary of is the Green Brittle Star. They do actively hunt at night for sleeping fish. Although very cool to watch, when you realize that it is trying to eat your $80 investment, it all of a sudden becomes not quite as cool. Although I've heard that occasionally the Red Serpent will go after fish as well, I've never had a problem with them.

hth

This. This serpent star is not a problem with a clam.

Kevin

Roscovitch · 06/21/2018, 04:11 PM

Thanks for the input folks. I do love my (very expensive clam) so rather than take the gamble I think the best thing to let it do is eat the detritus in the sump. It's a pretty big guy and I'm not so sure it won't make a meal of some of my prized possessions. Not only that but to be fair it's a pretty ugly looking thing

Uncle99 · 06/21/2018, 06:10 PM

Oh how many times have I heard, this or that is a "model citizen" or "never had a problem" or the big one "it's reef safe".

For years I believed in this but could not understand why things just went missing, like poof, corals retracted for no apparent reason.

And over the years the reef safe model citizens were caught doing the following:

-the reef safe red legged hermit grew up through three or four she sizes and caught one of my clowns by the belly....caught red clawed.

-the reef safe and beneficial urchin ate a hole right through the clam shell, then ate the clam and mowed down a strip of Acans. Caught him killing the clam, but I think he did the Acans at night, cause I stopped him.

-the pleasant and mild manner green star would position itself over a clam like a hand picking it up.... He could then open the freaking thing up....caught several times but missed one time several months later, goner.

- the reef safe wrasses, who eat all the snails.

This last rebuild, 5th in 25 years, now 24 months old. Since I banned all these things from my DT, I have yet to lose one thing this time, not even a snail, and all my corals (about 60 softies, LPS, a few SPS, 3 clams) are always open and growing strong.

I fully agree that some of these inhabitants generally do not cause any problems, but scavengers are scavengers and in the confines of a glass box, any will do what they can to survive.

If you keep them, that's OK, but watch them carefully, if you keep them because you like them, that's Ok, but if you keep them to clean, they don't do a great job, and MAY, make you very unhappy

Clams need to spread their mantle and dislike being bothered by any scavenger. In the confines, this leads to stress and somewhere down the road, stress leads to death.

WVfishguy · 06/21/2018, 10:33 PM

I used to put the big green stars in customer tanks. I got a kick of the way it scared hell out of them when it came charging out at feeding time. They would actually scream! I'd then say, "How the hell did that thing get in there!" and make a big deal out of how they would actually crawl out of the tank at night and walk around the office.

Good times.

06/21/2018, 08:17 AM	#1
Roscovitch Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 19	Black banded brittle star. A big one and the question is. Will it eat my shrimps or calms?

06/21/2018, 09:25 AM	#5
sde1500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Glocester, RI Posts: 3,336	well, clams are pretty easy to catch. __________________ My build thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2548422 Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef, Eshopps sump and HOB overflow, RO-110int skimmer, Reefbreeder 32" photons V1.

06/21/2018, 01:10 PM	#10
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	The pictures you linked to are of a common banded or harlequin serpent star. IMHO, they are a great addition to any tank that can supply them with enough to eat. They are scavengers, so the little extra food that makes it to the bottom will keep it happy. A small piece of something meaty on a stick will get it out. I have never had a problem with one in 30 years. I consider them to be a great part of the CUC. The only way they're gonna be eating any of your livestock is if it was already dead. The only serpent star (well, a cousin) that you need to be wary of is the Green Brittle Star. They do actively hunt at night for sleeping fish. Although very cool to watch, when you realize that it is trying to eat your $80 investment, it all of a sudden becomes not quite as cool. Although I've heard that occasionally the Red Serpent will go after fish as well, I've never had a problem with them. hth __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

06/21/2018, 06:10 PM	#13
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Oh how many times have I heard, this or that is a "model citizen" or "never had a problem" or the big one "it's reef safe". For years I believed in this but could not understand why things just went missing, like poof, corals retracted for no apparent reason. And over the years the reef safe model citizens were caught doing the following: -the reef safe red legged hermit grew up through three or four she sizes and caught one of my clowns by the belly....caught red clawed. -the reef safe and beneficial urchin ate a hole right through the clam shell, then ate the clam and mowed down a strip of Acans. Caught him killing the clam, but I think he did the Acans at night, cause I stopped him. -the pleasant and mild manner green star would position itself over a clam like a hand picking it up.... He could then open the freaking thing up....caught several times but missed one time several months later, goner. - the reef safe wrasses, who eat all the snails. This last rebuild, 5th in 25 years, now 24 months old. Since I banned all these things from my DT, I have yet to lose one thing this time, not even a snail, and all my corals (about 60 softies, LPS, a few SPS, 3 clams) are always open and growing strong. I fully agree that some of these inhabitants generally do not cause any problems, but scavengers are scavengers and in the confines of a glass box, any will do what they can to survive. If you keep them, that's OK, but watch them carefully, if you keep them because you like them, that's Ok, but if you keep them to clean, they don't do a great job, and MAY, make you very unhappy Clams need to spread their mantle and dislike being bothered by any scavenger. In the confines, this leads to stress and somewhere down the road, stress leads to death. Last edited by Uncle99; 06/21/2018 at 06:18 PM.

06/21/2018, 08:19 AM	#2
Roscovitch Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 19	https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bl...mMoOfe5WqO-QM:

06/21/2018, 08:40 AM	#3
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	They eat what they can catch!

06/21/2018, 09:30 AM	#6
Roscovitch Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 19	Iv' had mixed reports on this.Have heard they won't touch living clams.

06/21/2018, 09:40 AM	#7
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Yup, I have heard this before, It could be be true, but I would hate to learn the hard way. I would not put a brittlestar of any size in my DT because when they get hand sized, they can eat anything they can catch, or at minimum, walk over and PO corals, maybe get a sleeping fish at night. Sorry, For me, I don't allow stars, brittlestar, urchins, or crabs of any type. Except for the urchin, they really do quite little to clean up things, this is easier achieved by keeping perfect water frequently changed and a small toothbrush. Urchins are great cleaners but may mow down anything in its path. Sorry, just IMO

06/21/2018, 11:27 AM	#9
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	That is a perfect spot for him! He may never bother anything......but chances are.....vey good choice....clams are very expensive but with good care....last forever....

06/21/2018, 04:11 PM	#12
Roscovitch Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 19	Thanks for the input folks. I do love my (very expensive clam) so rather than take the gamble I think the best thing to let it do is eat the detritus in the sump. It's a pretty big guy and I'm not so sure it won't make a meal of some of my prized possessions. Not only that but to be fair it's a pretty ugly looking thing

06/21/2018, 10:33 PM	#14
WVfishguy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Huntington, WV Posts: 677	I used to put the big green stars in customer tanks. I got a kick of the way it scared hell out of them when it came charging out at feeding time. They would actually scream! I'd then say, "How the hell did that thing get in there!" and make a big deal out of how they would actually crawl out of the tank at night and walk around the office. Good times.