Green Brittle Star Questions

[gatorwpb]

I purchased a green brittle star over the weekend and now I am thinking of returning it.
I had read about their ability to clean up wastes, excess food, etc. but am now reading that the green version can attack shrimp and small fish. I am not worried about it attacking my fish, but what about snails, hermits, shrimp, and emerald and sally lightfoot crabs?
Does the potential for the star to eat the rest of the cleanup crew outweigh the benefit it provides?
I'd be willing to feed it spearately, but would the uneaten fish food be enough?
Also, I can throw him in my fuge if need be, but will he disrupt the macroalgae or DSB? :notsure:
Thanks.

 

[stonepilot]

it will eat every thing it catches even then fish youd say no way.

 

[dirty-d]

Mine green starfish does not mess with my fish or my 100 hermit crabs.............or emerald crab.......he does like to be spot feed and is always very hungry as for the fuge he wouldnt mess with the macroalgae or dsb........they are nocturnal and will try to stay hidden with the lights on

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by stonepilot
it will eat every thing it catches even then fish youd say no way.

I have 3 large green brittlestars and can not accuse them of this at this time.
THis species is a KNOWN predator in the wild. It is entirely possible it will do this in captivity (ESPECIALLY if left to "clean up"). If well fed it MAY not cause problems, but then it may. It is a risk. It is a similar risk, IMO, that you take when keeping several types of crabs which also tend to be opportunistic. If you have anything that you value over anything else, and it is not the brittlestar, then i would return it.
However unwarranted (and I think it generally is), I have heard nearly all species of brittlestar in this hobby implicated in something or other. Often they are not fed, but they are highly adaptable animals. Never leave them simply to scavenge.

 

[gatorwpb]

Thanks Ophiura, I was hoping you would chime in.

Does he need to be spot fed or will he pickup left over mysis, brine, etc.?
I dont mind taking the time to feed him, I get many comments on him alone.

 

[ophiura]

I would feed it something meatier.
But I do again want to emphasize what I said above. This is a KNOWN predator, and feeding MAY not prevent anything. Be prepared for that. If you do have any small fish or invert that you highly prize and would throw a fit if it was lost, I would get a different species of, if any, brittlestar. There is a risk...but it is not a definite risk, IMO.

 

[sombra7740]

mine hasnt touched any inverts
he does come out when he senses food in the water(even when lights are on) and tries to catch anything floating by. i do spot feed a couple times a week. i have seen him out during the night only a few times.

 

[kogle]

Mine has caught and ate fish and shrimp in my tank but if I feed it enough it leaves the tank mates alone. I feed it silversides, shrimp, and it also eats pellets.

 

[fishgeek01]

i started to feed mine silversides because i thought it may not be getting enough to eat, after i started to feed it it went on a rampage in my tank and caught and ate whatever it could, so i had to get rid of him, he cost me a little over 100 bucks in fish and countless inverts before i tore my reef apart to get him, the last straw was when i saw him grab my freidmanis pseudochromis and swallow him while he was still trying to get away

 

[gatorwpb]

Well, I think he may be banned to my fuge then. I only have a pair of Onyx Clowns, but if he were to eat either or both of them, I think I would eat him. lol
Thanks all for the info.

 

[nytrillium]

Ophiura is deff. right she knows her stuff...

i have a GBS that i have had from day one had the tank for almost a year now.... He was bout 5-6 inches when i got him and he is now a whopping 10 inches... I have spot fed him every couple days and i have never had a problem with him. He dos a great job cleaning up and he has only eaten the dead turbo snails in my tank. He has never bothered my LMB and i doubt he would bother any fish larger than 2 inches. He is probably the coolest animal in mybook and i really like him. The best i can tell you is keep him in there and see what he does. If he seems agressive move him. But dont banish him to the so quickly :joy:
They get a bad reputation but if you keep him fed and happy he wont bother anything. good luck... :happyfish

 

[mudplayerx]

My green brittlestar is over a foot in diameter and it has not harmed anything in my tank in the over 2 years that I have had it. You have to spot feed 2-3 times a week.
However, many sources will dictate that a green brittle is the equivalent of a hungry tiger in the aquarium. One book goes as far as calling the species "the green death."
My thoughts on all saltwater critters is keep them fed, give them living space, and they will not become aggressive.

 

[hatessushi]

Hmm, I read they were peacefull towards other inhabitants so I got one about 10 days ago and he hasn't bothers anything. Now I am worried I may need to tank him back to. :notsure:

 

[nytrillium]

hey mudplayer.. .we GBS keepers need to stay united... lol