Brittle star info pls

socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
I bought about 100 lb live rock and it came with at least 60 tiny brittle stars.
I have tried to watch their growth, but can't keep track of any certain one long enough to notice changes.
I was wondering:
What is their captive lifespan?
How old are they now? (1/2 in to 3 in diameter legtip to legtip 1/16 to 3/8 inch body)
Will they harm each other with this many in close proximity?
Will they reproduce in captivity?
How do they reproduce?
What is their preferred diet? (they seem to like the shrimp pellets)
Is that normal?
How fast can I expect them to grow?
How many are likely to survive?
:notsure:
Thanks
 
elvictre

elvictre

Member
Thats a lot of brittle stars. They feed primarily on detritus. I don't know how big your tank is but they can get big. I had 2 hugh ones (8-10 inches)
Vic
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
Originally Posted by elvictre
Thats a lot of brittle stars. They feed primarily on detritus. I don't know how big your tank is but they can get big. I had 2 hugh ones (8-10 inches)
Vic
I almost bought a large one a couple years ago, but wife said they were too creepy looking (they move like snakes).
Now we have some to trade in if they will grow.
they are split between 75gal and 100 gal
 
bigarn

bigarn

Active Member
If they're mini-brittles that came as hitchhikers they shouldn't get much bigger than they are now. They're numbers seem to increase and decrease on thier own ... not to much to worry about.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Yup, bigarn is correct. They are probably microbrittlestars, and will not grow much larger than they are now, but a picture would help. What kind of live rock do you have? They reproduce well in our tanks, and are considered beneficial.
For more general info on brittlestars, you can visit my site. Click on my name above and go to my website.
 
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