I found a brittlestar in my rock!

traceyw

New Member
About 3 weeks ago I was looking at my reef tank and found something moving from inside the rock. As I looked closer I noticed that it was a pink brittle sta fish. I have not seen it out of the live rock, but I have now at least close to a dozen baby brittle starfish. I was suprised that I received a live rock with a brittle starfish in it. What should I do? Does the brittlestar fish only come out a night? What about the baby ones? They are everywhere in my tank. Any suggestions?
 
N

newreefers

Guest
I ended up with quite a few of these myself. They came in my lr. They are nocturnal, untill they get a little bigger they pretty much stay under the rock, you may see them out a bit at night.
 
I had a tiny one come crawling out of my live rock when I first put it in 2 weeks ago, and I haven't seen him since. :( I didn't know that they were nocturnal so maybe there's still hope that he's alive. :)
 

slick

Active Member
If you don't want them all you can see if your lfs will give you credit for them. Or you could give them to people on this board.
 

traceyw

New Member
Well, the thing is that the brittle star is inside the rock. I see holes for the brittle star that might be able to come out, but I don't think it will. Do I just leave the brittle star there or should I try and break the rock and hopefully hurt the brittle star in the process.......
 

ophiura

Active Member
Just leave it there. It is not stuck, and it should not be a problem in your tank at all. Most brittlestars live in or under rocks, and a healthy brittlestar will typically not come out in the open during the day (unless there is food). Only arms are extended. There are many, many species of brittlestars that come on LR. Everyone has them but probably don't realize it. There are tiny white one's that do not get larger than about a quarter; striped one's that typically live in holes in rocks and just extend the arms out, and then some larger species. The larger species do not typically reproduce in our tanks. The smaller reproduce be splitting (the striped forms) or because they are self fertilizing hermaphrodites (the tiny white forms) and will populate a tank rapidly.
 

flobskey

Member
I had a crab in my rock, and I tought it was stuck. Rocks are like a system of caves in the inside. It turned out there was a bigger hole on the other side.
 

traceyw

New Member
I don't want to hurt the brittle star at all. All I do see are the legs extending out for food. When I look at the rock, I don't see a large enough opening that the brittle star can come out. Most of what everyone is telling me is to leave it there, it will be fine. So, I will just keep my eyes open!
Thanks everyone for you imput! :)
 

buzz

Active Member
I have about 20 of them in my tank now...
They won't grow bigger than about a quarter like Sammy said...and they may come out of the rock, but you will seldom see them out in the open. They stay pretty well hidden except for their arms...
Good find! Good to have in the tank!
 

lurch694u

Member
I have a gaint black brittlestar living under my live rock. he always has his arms extended for food. I give him a piece of krill every once and awhile. It is funny to watch him drag the piece of krill under the rock.:D
 
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