brittle star predator?

[atl reef]

I picked up a brittle about a month ago. Within 2 weeks I had lost a Royal Dottyback and a Yellow Watchman. The fish were doing just fine in the tank until one morning I just realized they were missing. Of course I found them in the arms of the brittle. First the Royal Dotty and then a couple weeks later the watchman. I know they are both spend a good amount of time on the sand bed, especially the watchman. What really shocked me was just recently the britlle got my sixline wrasse. That fish is so quick that it made me think that this brittle was hunting when the lights went out... I bought the brittle because I thought it would solely eat detritus.
Now I'm considering moving it to my sump because I don't know if it can be trusted.
Thoughts? Experiences?

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by ATL Reef
http:///forum/post/3067466
I picked up a brittle about a month ago. Within 2 weeks I had lost a Royal Dottyback and a Yellow Watchman. The fish were doing just fine in the tank until one morning I just realized they were missing. Of course I found them in the arms of the brittle. First the Royal Dotty and then a couple weeks later the watchman. I know they are both spend a good amount of time on the sand bed, especially the watchman. What really shocked me was just recently the britlle got my sixline wrasse. That fish is so quick that it made me think that this brittle was hunting when the lights went out... I bought the brittle because I thought it would solely eat detritus.
Now I'm considering moving it to my sump because I don't know if it can be trusted.
Thoughts? Experiences?
I am no expert, but I don't think your brittle star killed anything...they ate the dead fish after they croaked. Something is causing your fish to die. I have two huge brittle stars and no problems...my anemone is the eater.
Moonlights will allow you to watch what is going on in your tank at night, and the fish can see a predator...If you don't have them you should get them. That is what I did when my coral was getting eaten in the middle of the night. I caught the worm doing its thing and saw his hiding place.

 

[olemiss]

Green brittle stars will hunt out and eat healthy fish. If it is not a green brittle, something was more than likely wrong with the fish.

 

[atl reef]

it is not a green brittle, just a regular brittle that I bought from this website. I find it hard to believe that something was wrong with the fish since they were perfectly healthy and then within a week of purchasing the brittle they start to die... The bigger, stronger fish are fine, (clown, dwarf angel, freckled hawkfish).. I have on one occasion seen the brittle try to wrap its arms around the angel, but it just swam away...
I do have moonlighting, but usually turn it off when I go to bed, cause I figure the fish could use some total darknes (they always seem more active to me under the moonlight)... but maybe i'm wrong...