Did starfish eat shrimp

misty7850

misty7850

Member
We recently added a pink serpant star to our reef aquarium. The place we got it said it was reef safe and also would not bother out other livestock. Now my anemone crab is missing, my 2 peppermint shrimp are missing and my cleaner shrimp is missing. All within a few days of adding the starfish. My cleaner shrimp was fine last night, but when I got up this morning I saw the starfish hovering in the back of the tank, eating what suspiciously looked like bits and pieces of my cleaner shrimp. We went back to the place we got them and they still say it would not have eatin the shrimp, unless they were already dead. I'm not sure I totally agree with that, as my shrimp and anemone crab have been with my for about 4 months and have been doing very well. They did however say they would take hiim back and exchange for something else.
Before I did that I would like opinions from other site members. What do you all think ? Should we evict the starfish ?
It looks pretty inocent, but is it really a monster
 
leboeuf

leboeuf

Member
if it ate all of that, it's cneter body would look like a full pin cushon. I don't think it is capable of all that carnage in such a short time. Serpent stars are generally passive and primarily scavengers, yet opportunistic.....
This is definitly a question for Ohuria
 
promisetbg

promisetbg

Active Member
The only thing I have ever seen that will take out so many critters in such a short time span is a mantis shrimp.Have you heard any clicking in your tank?Mainly at night?Where did you get your LR?Did you purchase the star in Daytona or Orlando{just curious}.I agree that his oral disc would be bulging,and he actually looks like he could use something to eat.
 
misty7850

misty7850

Member
:eek: Not a Mantis :scared: I did had a couple small live rocks around the same time I added the serpant star. I haven't heard any clicking noises. Now one of my emerald crabs is missing also. What can I do ? I'm stumped. bty here is a picture of the serpant eating his favorite food. "Shrimp".... LOL; Maybe he isn't guilty, but he was munching away at bits and pieces of my cleaner shrimp this fateful morning. Perhaps they were leftover bits and pieces from another monster in the tank... HELP !!!! I don't know what to do.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
That is an awefully small species of brittlestar, with a very thin disk, to have eaten a cleaner shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimp, an anemone crab and an emerald crab. As mentioned, they would shove the whole shrimp in at once, and the disk gets hugely distended. YOu wouldn't see it getting pieces, unless, IMO, something tore the shrimp to pieces. Anything is possible, but, IMO, this does not fit the description of the behavior of a brittlestar. If one shrimp was missing and the brittle looked extremely fat? Maybe. But not this much in a few days, and probably not the crabs.
To see a pick of a brittlestar (a known predator, and much larger animal - a green brittlestar) having recently caught a cleaner shrimp, go to my website - tabloids page at the very bottom.
http://ophiuroid.home.att.net
 
misty7850

misty7850

Member
Thanks for the info Ophiura. I have not seen my starfish as bulged as the one in that picture on your website, but I have seen it quite bulged out. When I feed it and at other times too.
I do spot feed it everyday, and he always comes running for the shrimp (what else can I feed it).. It really does seem to be a little piggy. Do I need to feed it more often ? I thought once a day was plenty. I have seen the disc quite bulged in between me feeding it so I know it is dining of other items in the tank.
again thanks for the information. This is my first starfish.
 
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