Killer star?????

segsig

segsig

Member
I have a 55g with fish-less now- and corals. Its been up for a couple of years and water parameters are fine. A couple of weeks ago, a couple of my small fish started disappearing like a goby, small wrasse, and clownfish, I tested the water and the parametes are fine and continue to be, and everything else in the tank is doing fine. Then I realized that the disappearing act coincided with the addition of 8 snails and a serpent star. I'm sure these arent killer snails but is it possible that the star is the cause of this????? I think its a serpent star but maybe a brittle star???? cant seem to insert a picture though I have tried. I might need help with that too LOL
PLEASE HELP
THANKS
PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN!!
thanks
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
quote from another post on this site "green brittle stars can trap and eat small live fish" sounds like someone has experience or is convinced its possible
 
promisetbg

promisetbg

Active Member
It very well could be the star.They get quite large and their appetite increases. How big is the star? As stated greens are predatory,but I have even seen the dark brown/black kind take down healthy fish.
 
segsig

segsig

Member
any suggestions to what type/size fish I can keep there now I have to replenish it seems? Not that I actually see him come out of the rock much but I dont want to get rid of him if possible.
I still have a foxface and coral beauty in there.
thanks
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
little mean cheap fish "damsels" or more larger butterflie angels tangs :) be careful might be like a crack fiend now he's tasted it he may never go back might want to see if ur local fish store will trade him for a midget one they will be getting the better end of the deal
 
promisetbg

promisetbg

Active Member
I would avoid blennies,mandarins, wrasses and gobies. You might consider some chromis, perhaps a small anthias such as a bartletts'...something that will stay high and away from the star.
 
nemo's mom

nemo's mom

Member
I have a green brittle star. He's never bothered a single fish. As a matter of fact-just had a baby
. Do you ever feed your star? You might want to start spot feeding him so he won't prey on your live stock...
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
OK, lets slow down here.
One risk is that we always assume our fish are perfectly healthy and were KILLED instead of asking if there were reasons they may have died.
How long had you had these fish?
What are your specific water parameters?
How far between lost fish?
What and how often do you feed this star?
Yes, it is possible the star did this. I can't tell from the picture what species it is and whether it was a likely culprit. But I can say that I have 11 brittlestars, with cleaner shrimo, sixline wrasse, etc and I can not specifically say the brittlestars KILLED anything. I had a clown goby that I lost....but it went missing after less than a day in the tank. It could have died. Ditto for a lawnmower in a previous tank.
Always eliminate other issues. More information about the tank is necessary, IMO, before we decide the brittlestar is the sole thing to blame.
 
seahorse06

seahorse06

New Member
yes anything could have happened to the fish, i can only tell what i know for fact as of seeing with my own eyes. at the LFS there was a seahorse i was going to buy and it was it a tank with too much current and the seahorses were pined down to the botton and i watched a serpent star pull one of the horses under a rock. we olso had a chocolatechip starfish which i caught with the tail of one of my horses in its grasps. so that it for what it's worth any thing could have happened but the star is my guess
 
alyssia

alyssia

Active Member
Originally Posted by seahorse06
yes anything could have happened to the fish, i can only tell what i know for fact as of seeing with my own eyes. at the LFS there was a seahorse i was going to buy and it was it a tank with too much current and the seahorses were pined down to the botton and i watched a serpent star pull one of the horses under a rock. we olso had a chocolatechip starfish which i caught with the tail of one of my horses in its grasps. so that it for what it's worth any thing could have happened but the star is my guess

:scared: I'm glad I read that, I was thinking about putting a CC star in my seahorse tank.
 
M

mopardwh

Guest
I also have a "killer" green brittle star that is over 8" in a 55g with some small fish. And it has not bothered any fish, except a dying pyjama right next to it. I feed it a pellet everyday though. It is slow moving, and likes to stay stationary "raised up", so a fish can swim underneath it to attack. He has had no luck though.
 
ljroman85

ljroman85

Member
Yeah I had one in my 46...the deadly green one....i work up and found him with my purple firefish
he/she had the firefish in its arms....man I was SO pissed...but hey it happens it part of there life.....i later gave the star fish to a bigger tank
 
mr_bill

mr_bill

Active Member
My brittle is mostly nocturnal and has never harmed a thing. As a matter of fact the poor star has to retreat with the food I give him before the mean old crabs come along and snatch it away. I've seen this star come into contact with lots of animals but it will only eat dead things. Unless you all are finding these stars with live fish I would suspect them dieing from other causes and the star is just doing its job.
Here's mine, I love mine.
 
segsig

segsig

Member
Ophiura as always, the calm head, and I love your posts....and trust me, I dont want to get rid of the brittle star--even though I rarely see him. I fell in love with him when I first saqw him. As far as your questions, I'm emailing from work so I'll answer to the best of my ability...
the fish were all in for a few months and quite healthy--swimming and eating
ammonia - 0.5
nitrites-0
nitrates - 0
PH- I think 8.3
salinity-1.025
fish were all lost within 10 days
no specific feeding -- bad advice from the LFS--or should I say no advice?????
I have started giving him food specifically to his hideout in the rocks when I see him but no sure what the best thing is. I heard Mysis?????????????????????????????
 
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