Baby star?

[chefjoeyp]

I was doing my daily tan inspection when I found this baby star. My tank is a 100gal reef and everything in it has been in there for 4 months+. I do have a green brittle star in there I just transferred from my 55gal about 2 weeks ago. I know stars having babies in captivity is very rare but I don't kow how else to explain it beside the fact there is and only has been 1 star period. the center is only about 1/16". I have posted a pic, any suggestions? I have isolated him so he doesn't get eaten

 

[cinders]

OMG! I just posted the same discovery in the Fish section!!!
I found my baby about an hour ago. It headed back into the rock
so I couldn't get it out!! What a coincidence!!!! Congratulations!!

 

[coachklm]

I put 3 brittle stars in my 90 and when i broke it down I counted 7 so...... i wouldnt have thought its rare?

 

[ophiura]

They are common hitch hikers. You may have received it as a juvenile. What kind of rock do you have?
I'm nearly entirely certain, that one is not offspring of the larger green brittlestar. Totally different beast from the looks of it. Any chance for a pic of the other side?
Nice find regardless

 

[chefjoeyp]

My live rock from Florida. I have isolated the baby, will try to take a photo from other side and post later

 

[ophiura]

Florida rock is well known for its diversity of hitch hikers, including brittlestars

I look forward to a picture!

 

[theappe]

I got a banded brittle star as a hitchhiker in my rock too.

 

[chefjoeyp]

Sorry for the poor quality. Even with the the camera I use (12 megapixel canon digital slr, my "other hobby" is fish photography) I hturnedoff my MH ights to accliate a new blue starfish.

 

[ophiura]

This looks to possibly be a small Ophiothrix angulata , the orange morph (it can be anywhere from this to blue or green. Nice

 

[chefjoeyp]

I am just confused as to how he got there, could he be hiding in my rock for 6 months and still be that small? the only new thing I have added in that time is a willow gargonian and I think i would have noticed him. Wild. My daughter has already named him "twinkle". any idea what to feed him?

 

[ophiura]

It definitely could have been in there for quite some time without being noticed. YOu can try feeding it just about anything. Bits of shrimp, krill, squid, shrimp pellets....

 

[chefjoeyp]

Thank you so much for your info. My daughter has fallen in love with it. I have moved it into a tank I am preparing for seahorses the only other things in there is a carpet anemone and 2 anemone crabs. I have never seen a star that color, lets see how it goes, this is the most exciting itchhiker I have found