expensive dinner

[chicken neck]

hi all..havent posted in a while but I had something bad happen. I bought me a cleaner shrimp because my son was dying to have one and I figured it would be good for my tank. Well little did I know that my brittle star was dying to have one too. He consumed him in about 2 minutes after I released him into the tank. Has anyone else had this happen? I never thought my star would have eaten him!

 

[chevron tang]

hate to say it but i've heard alot of stories about brittle stars. i personally never recommended one to anybody. some of them will even eat polyps and corals.

 

[ebeckels]

I've heard stories like this and what chevron tang was saying...I have a green brittle and it's been fine...no problems at all...yet! Anyways, I doubt I'd get another brittle star in the future

 

[heavenly damsel]

I am missing two of my damsels this weekend. I was blaming the condi anemone I have had for a week now...however, I do have two brittle stars. Perhaps I was too hasty in my judgement! What do y'all think?

 

[fshhub]

i think it is a good possibility, brittles, especially greens, have been found ot go after small fish,and believe it or not, they are clever about it if and when they do, they can catch very fast fish too, they ambush them adn can be successful, this is why i have not gotten any yet, tooo much research,m i am looking for some tha twill not be a problem for the fish now or in the future, so i am really thinking linkias(myself)

 

[volitan]

My LFS told me the same thing. She said serpent stars are a safer choice.

 

[ebeckels]

true...serpent stars are safer...i also think the black brittle stars are typically kinder stars...the greens are a hit or miss type thing i think...black brittles are still hit and miss but a better chance of hit i think

 

[mlm]

Is it possible that they can get scarlet hermits out of there shell. Evrey once in a while I see parts of a scarlet hermit in a pile and could not figure out what is happening to them.

 

[shel]

I have two black and have not noticed anything missing. I have had them for about 4-6 months. I do feed my everynite, maybe that is why they are being nice.

 

[kelly]

I cut some mushrooms, and glued them to a rock, the next morning my wife noticed a starfish arm plucking them off of the rock 1 by 1. I guess I will have to set up a special tank for fragging. I have seen them do this to my xenias also.
It has only been recently that I have noticed this behavior. One of the starfishes is about 10" across including arms. I am pretty sure that they are brittle stars.