Green Brittle star - Good or bad

[ebeckels]

I have a small green brittle star...it has a small body and long legs..I've heard from some that they are predatory and will eat my fish...how does everyone feel about them?

 

[goofieones]

I've had two over the years. Never had a problem with them. My one now is HUGE!!! He has never tried to go after any of my fish and I have some small ones, like my goby.

 

[ebeckels]

excellent... I've never heard of anything either, but I was just talking on email with a supplier of fish and corals that I've bought from about my green brittle star...he went nuts saying that it is tottaly not reef safe and will eat my fish! I wanted to make sure.. I did all the research I thought before I got it and then he said that. Thanks a lot.

 

[reefaddict]

Funny you should ask this. I went home last night and my wife said I only had three chromis fish in the tank and she knew I had four. I looked to see if I could find it and sure enough, there it was in the grasp of the green brittle star. I have had the green star for over two years and this is the first time he has ever done this. Also nothing was wrong with the fish before he became supper.

 

[von_rahvin]

I have several serpent stars that run around my tank. I have never even seen one kill a snail. They just eat food that falls to the bottom. Personally i like these types of stars because it is always interesting to find out where they are hanging out.

 

[ebeckels]

hey jwt,
do you feed the star directly...do u ever watch it eat the food u feed the fish?

 

[reefaddict]

Yes, but I did just move him to a new reef tank and I don't think he has been eating like he was inth older tank. Until he caught the fish I mean

 

[lordofthereef]

let me tell u somthing. i had one of those suckers once. NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!! he ate all my small cuttings and two percula clowns.

 

[mlm]

I have one without any problems. It just kind of hangs out in the corner and I give it a piece of shrimp every once in a while and he eats it and then goes back in his corner.

 

[kimf]

I've had mine for several years. Even had an orange one for a couple of years. Can't say I've ever saw him eat anything other than the fish food.
He will come out of hiding and eat out of my hand sometimes. His body is probably 1" diameter and his legs are real long.
I am worried about other star fish I just purchased in lite of other post concerning predatory star fish.

 

[lettheirberock]

ive got 3 of them in my 55gal.i got them from this site,and ive never had a problem.just goes to show, that you never know how an animal is going to act when you dump it in the tank.its just trial & error.

 

[adrian]

I had one take out three fish in one night, pulled a half digested fish out of him in the morning Mine was Ophiarachna incrassata as described by Sprung in his invert book...HTH

 

[the claw]

Glad to have found this website tonight,since I just put a green Brit in my tank only hours ago.

 

[coraltrapper5020]

I have one and he eats whats dies, but nothing living, I have 2 flame scalups and its never gone after them. But he gets a scalup from the grocier store when ever I go.

 

[fishfreek]

Anyone keep red brittles? Lfs always has these and i always am tempted to buy one or two. I've heard they are alot safer than the green ones.