Caught in the act!

[swlover]

Hi guys, need opinions on what you think. My frogspawn looked like it wasn't expanding so I moved it to a better spot. The last couple of days I noticed one side not even coming out..last night I also noticed the large brittlestar had moved, he had a spot under a big rock and has been his home since I got him..5 months ago, so I thought it was odd he moved..well low and behold I caught him doing something naughty. Has anyone ever had a brittlestar do this??? He is a fancy brittle, thought to be reef safe..now I'm not so sure. On an interesting note...he also does this to my hammer but the hammer isn't effected by this and dosen't seem to mind..opinions needed.

 

[krazekajin]

what exactly is he doing? It seems to me that he is just on the coral. Mine does that ever once in a while and there are no problems. Or is he eating the coral?

 

[swlover]

He's been reaching in there, I didn't see him pull anything out..but I think because he is touching it, it won't come out an expand. The other side is Ok, he wont touch it, it's a mystery to me..he has never done anything to other corals before and he is well fed, I hand feed him 3 times a week so I don't think it's because he is hungry. Maybe something in there besides the frogspawn that he wants?? should I move it again?

 

[swlover]

Here is another pic, shows better what he is up to.

 

[krazekajin]

That second photo makes more sense. Is there anychance that that side of the frogspawn has died and he is scaveging? Have you seen any hermits or snails on that side?

 

[krazekajin]

take a turkey baster and gently blow water into that side of the coral. See if there is any leftover food that has gotten stuck there.

 

[reefkprz]

fancy brittles are reef safe and he wont hurt the coral if he's eating it it means its dying and he's cleaning off the dead flesh. Most likley

 

[sharkboy13]

Originally Posted by swlover
He's been reaching in there, I didn't see him pull anything out..but I think because he is touching it, it won't come out an expand. The other side is Ok, he wont touch it, it's a mystery to me..he has never done anything to other corals before and he is well fed, I hand feed him 3 times a week so I don't think it's because he is hungry. Maybe something in there besides the frogspawn that he wants?? should I move it again?
coral molester is my theory

 

[darknes]

Now that one cracked me up!

 

[ophiura]

IMO, the coral is dying, and the brittlestar is smelling that. I would first assume that the coral was unhealthy, rather than the brittlestar ate it. This is quite unlikely. Your description of problems with the coral also seem to indicate the coral was failing...not that the star is responsible.
What and how often do you feed this star?
How long have you had the coral?

 

[sharkboy13]

Originally Posted by Darknes

Now that one cracked me up!
now see, we need to put an end to the onrock predators, do u no what websites ur corals been to lately?

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by Sharkboy13
now see, we need to put an end to the onrock predators, do u no what websites ur corals been to lately?

 

[swlover]

Originally Posted by ophiura
IMO, the coral is dying, and the brittlestar is smelling that. I would first assume that the coral was unhealthy, rather than the brittlestar ate it. This is quite unlikely. Your description of problems with the coral also seem to indicate the coral was failing...not that the star is responsible.
What and how often do you feed this star?
How long have you had the coral?
Hi sorry I have been working doubles and just got on today..I feed him frozen formula 1, he gets it three times a week. I split the cubes up between about 5 starfish..(I have three sw tanks) I have had the frogspawn about two weeks, and come to think of it, it was damaged in shipping. One side was a little limp for the first couple of days and then started to recover..then this started happening. It is completely gone now, no crabs or snails on it, he wont let them go near it. He must have done his job of cleaning it up after it died..so glad he wasn't the culprit, he is by far my favorite. He is getting really big..after my 58 gallon cycles he's going in it. thanks.
Oh and Sharkboy 13...yes he is the molester in my tank! He is constantly feeling up everything, when I put a new coral in there he is the first one to touch it..I can't stick my hand in there without him hopping on it..he will climb all over me..I swear I think he is in love with my hand!

 

[saltn00b]

that looks like a totally dead head. but i guess you came to that conclusion already.

 

[swlover]

yea, it died..my guess is the shipping did him in..and was dieing and the starfish knew it. It did hang limply for several days and then looked like it was perking up..but that may have been a last ditch effort to try to survive. It was more or less a fee bee any way the other one has five heads on it and is thriving. thanks everyone for thr help.

 

[saltn00b]

when i got my frog spawn one head was dead and picked clean by mr.skunk cleaner within hours, another head died about 2 weeks later and it never looked good either, i think it was damaged by me during initial placement and may have caught the brunt of a fall

 

[swlover]

Originally Posted by saltn00b
when i got my frog spawn one head was dead and picked clean by mr.skunk cleaner within hours, another head died about 2 weeks later and it never looked good either, i think it was damaged by me during initial placement and may have caught the brunt of a fall
Yea they are very sensitive, they say if they are bruised from a fall the tissue damage is permanent.