Brittle stars

A

amoroso6

Guest
Hi all,
I have noticed hundreds of baby brittle stars in my tank they are in every nook and crack even on my soft corals in any hole thats not ocupied. What is their natural enemy so I can reduce the numbers? I feel they are affecting some of my coral and especially the sea scallops.
Alex
 
bojik

bojik

Member
They are more likely asteria (i think thats the name/spelling), small detrivores/scavengers that are very good for the tank.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Originally Posted by amoroso6
Hi all,
I have noticed hundreds of baby brittle stars in my tank they are in every nook and crack even on my soft corals in any hole thats not ocupied. What is their natural enemy so I can reduce the numbers? I feel they are affecting some of my coral and especially the sea scallops.
Alex
These are a small species of starfish commonly called mini-brittles. They are beneficial and will help clean up detritus. I would not recommend reducing their numbers artificially. Feeding less would probably help reduce their numbers but they really are not anything to be concerned with.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bojik
They are more likely asteria (i think thats the name/spelling), small detrivores/scavengers that are very good for the tank.
I think he's talking about mini brittles. these are the ones with the legs always hanging out the rocks. I dont have a huge number of them but I have a few rocks in particular they dwell in. what ever mine clean/eat must be in the rocks because they NEVER come out except to migrate to another hole (which I dont see just noticed a few rocks have them that didn't before)

and back when I first got that mushroom rock. the brittle legs are circled in red.
 
A

amoroso6

Guest
Bang you guys hit it on the head, the proof is in the pictures multiply what you see by about 300 and thats what I've got.
Well that takes a load off to know they are not bad for the tank, I've always had a problem keeping scollops and clams and someone told me that these guys will eat right up through the foot but knowing they are serpent or mini brittles answers that question.
Thanks for the imput.
Alex
 
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