Hitch-hiking starfish

[mckaax]

I bought a new coral today and it came with 2 hitch hiking starfish. I am almost positive they are tiger striped serpents. they are tiny and have skinny black and white legs with small bristles on them. I put 1 in the dt and dont know what to do with the other. Any one have suggestions? Or anyone want to buy him?

 

[mx#28]

Originally Posted by mckaax
http:///forum/post/2552308
I bought a new coral today and it came with 2 hitch hiking starfish. I am almost positive they are tiger striped serpents. they are tiny and have skinny black and white legs with small bristles on them. I put 1 in the dt and dont know what to do with the other. Any one have suggestions? Or anyone want to buy him?

Sounds like micro-brittlestars.

 

[natclanwy]

+1 for them being microbrittle stars

 

[johnny&sin]

Originally Posted by natclanwy
http:///forum/post/2552524
+1 for them being microbrittle stars
+2 micro's

 

[mckaax]

Are micro brittlestars good or bad? Should I put both of them in my tank?

 

[lightfrommoon]

as far as i know they shouldn't do anyting but eat algae.... they're cool lookin too

 

[hefner413]

I've got hundreds of micro brittles in my 55gal. as your tank matures, those few will multiply.. just little cleanup crew stars.

 

[mckaax]

Another question....how do they reproduce? By splitting themselves or breeding?

 

[hefner413]

starfish reproduce by free-spawning - where they release their eggs out to hopefully be fertilized by the opposite s.ex. Not sure if micro brittles do the same, but I would figure so.

 

[candycane]

How many legs and look at the ends of the legs, do they possibly have what appears to be smaller "hook shaped" ends to them?

 

[mckaax]

they have 5 legs... no hooks at ends, they stay in the rock and wave around their legs. They have black and white bands on them.

 

[candycane]

I would say keep an eye on your SPS corals if you have any just to be on the safe side. Look for smaller holes in the tissue that might have these smaller starfish down in there. If you don't have any SPS corals, then I wouldn't be concerned at all with it.