melissa v.
Member
i had a serpent star eat a clown and a lawnmower blenny has anyone ever had this happen before?, i thought they were peaceful
serpent star ate 2 fish
- Thread starter melissa v.
- Start date
fshhub
Active Member
green brittle stars are well known for this
some stars actually do eat live fish, and they do not wait for them to die first.
There are videos out there that you can watch where a star actually traps the fish. It is interesting to watch and to think that a simple starfish had concocted this scheme and executed it perfectly, thus finding its next meal.
some stars actually do eat live fish, and they do not wait for them to die first.
There are videos out there that you can watch where a star actually traps the fish. It is interesting to watch and to think that a simple starfish had concocted this scheme and executed it perfectly, thus finding its next meal.
ophiura
Active Member
Why would any animal pass up a meal????????
What color was this serpent? As mentioned, the green is a known predator in the wild. Most people will have no problems, but some people will. I have problems getting mine to eat dead snails, let alone something living. Different personalities, different tanks, different feeding schedules....but a hungry animal will not allow itself to starve.
And before jumping the gun, what are the water parameters? How old is the tank? Are you sure it trapped and ate them, or is there a chance they died of something else? What was the time frame involved?
What color was this serpent? As mentioned, the green is a known predator in the wild. Most people will have no problems, but some people will. I have problems getting mine to eat dead snails, let alone something living. Different personalities, different tanks, different feeding schedules....but a hungry animal will not allow itself to starve.
And before jumping the gun, what are the water parameters? How old is the tank? Are you sure it trapped and ate them, or is there a chance they died of something else? What was the time frame involved?
melissa v.
Member
no i did not see it happen both times it happened in night time when i was in bed, the night he ate the clown, the clown was swimming around perfectly fine, just like normal, the next morning i get up and the clown is gone, and a lot of my coral is knocked over, like there was a struggle, and the star fish is swelled up like a balloon.
two nights later, the blenny is fine, just hopping around from rock to rock, the next morning i get up and the starfish is perched up on a rock(inside of one of my caves) hovering over what was left of the blenny, he had ate part of his tail, and part of his face.
yes, i would hand feed him every now and then (apparently it was not nearly enough) i have since done some research on star fish(mine was a brown), and i have read alot of reports, that if a star is brave enough to come out in the light to feed he could be agressive, i read alot of stories of stars eating live fish, and no i do not have my star anymore, i flushed the $ 8.00 star, (it might have been mean to have done that but i was pissed off that he ate $70.00 worth of fish.
two nights later, the blenny is fine, just hopping around from rock to rock, the next morning i get up and the starfish is perched up on a rock(inside of one of my caves) hovering over what was left of the blenny, he had ate part of his tail, and part of his face.
yes, i would hand feed him every now and then (apparently it was not nearly enough) i have since done some research on star fish(mine was a brown), and i have read alot of reports, that if a star is brave enough to come out in the light to feed he could be agressive, i read alot of stories of stars eating live fish, and no i do not have my star anymore, i flushed the $ 8.00 star, (it might have been mean to have done that but i was pissed off that he ate $70.00 worth of fish.
small fish22
Member
Now you should change your name to Star Fish Killer.
rook
Member
I am not so sure that the starfish killed the fish. If you had corals and rocks knocked over, why couldn't have been the coral or rock fell on the fish and killed it, and the star ate the dead fish. IMO, you jumped to a conclusion about the star, just as so many others have done.
You could have returned the star or given it away to someone who would take care of it. IMO, such blatant disregard for an animal’s life is disgusting.
You could have returned the star or given it away to someone who would take care of it. IMO, such blatant disregard for an animal’s life is disgusting.
fantasy reef
Member
I have an absolutely huge green brittle star. Bigger than a dinner plate. He has never tried to eat my fish, some are well within snack size. I believe he has never tried because as a general rule, it is lazy. I feed every day and he eats very well. He has had his center disk so full that it looked like a mountain. He had been eating bay scallops 
Anyway, I also have a 10 inch volitan lion that leaves his "normal" prey alone, because he too, is fed quite well.
Yes, I do have a constant battle with water quality, but the fish, corals and inverts are all happily co-existing. I think it is a matter of choices that we make. I have been criticized regularly for "feeding' every day. But everyone still lives. To me, more frequent water changes are an acceptable trade-off.
Anyway, I also have a 10 inch volitan lion that leaves his "normal" prey alone, because he too, is fed quite well.
Yes, I do have a constant battle with water quality, but the fish, corals and inverts are all happily co-existing. I think it is a matter of choices that we make. I have been criticized regularly for "feeding' every day. But everyone still lives. To me, more frequent water changes are an acceptable trade-off.
fantasy reef
Member
I just re-read the posts and saw where you flushed the starfish. No, I am not going to really flame you, but had you considered alternatives, such as returning to the fish store. It is also my understanding that starfish do not "chew up" parts , I know mine gobbles things whole. My guess is that something else killed it and it was cleaning up what was left. Most likely you killed an innocent.
Also, proper research before buying would have let you know that the possibility for it to kill other fish, was there. The internet is a wonderful resource, as are these boards. It is almost unforgiveable these days to buy something out of ignorance if you have an internet connection. Why punish the animal ?
Also, proper research before buying would have let you know that the possibility for it to kill other fish, was there. The internet is a wonderful resource, as are these boards. It is almost unforgiveable these days to buy something out of ignorance if you have an internet connection. Why punish the animal ?
S
sandy
Guest
My Serpent Star has never bothered anything, ever.
Gosh, I hope this is not a flame, but flushing an animal? I think that stinks. Everyone has an opinion... (you know like everyone has ******** and that is mine.
An alternative would have been to give the poor fellow to the LFS. Just a thought.
Sandy
Gosh, I hope this is not a flame, but flushing an animal? I think that stinks. Everyone has an opinion... (you know like everyone has ******** and that is mine.
An alternative would have been to give the poor fellow to the LFS. Just a thought.
Sandy
melissa v.
Member
give me a break, i didn't realize that i was on a messge board with jesus (none of you guys ever killed an ant, roach,mouse these are all of gods creatures too,did you catch them and let them go? give them away? oh you mean you just stepped on them, or caught them in a neck breaking, eyes buldging trap, thats what i thought), you all must be perfect, a rock would not have fallen on my clown fish, and killed it, he stays(or at least he did) at the top of the water and when i was chasing the star to catch him, he spit out part of the blenny,(so do not tell me that he they will not eat just part of a fish), i did not take the star out until i got home from work, i had saw what had happened in the moring when i hade gotten up, and i couldn't do anything about it until i got home at night, i had called my local fs to see if i could give him to them, and he said no he had one that ate fish before, and he had a hard time getting rid of it (he is very honest with his customers) i didn't have another tank to put him in, and i don't know anyone that has salt tanks, everyone i know has fw tanks, and since he killed my other fish at night i didn't want him to kill my other clowns, so i got rid of him the only way i knew how to do and yes it broke my heart to just flush him, and yes i cried when i had to do it, so don't get all holier than thou on me, i feel bad enough, but lets face we (all of us on this message board) does not know everything about saltwater fish and we never will, just because you had good experiences with a fish, dosn't mean that the next person will, so before you start slamming someone as most(not all,some of you guys are nice hardworking adults, doing the best you can, not sitting on a messsage board acting like children because they have nothing better to do)of you do take a moment to consider that maybe that was the best that, that person could do at the time to keep alive the innocent victims that was left in the tank.
and by the way since he is gone, my tank has been perfect, and the fish i have left have finally started to come out from hiding in the rocks, which is where they have been since the first fish had got eaten.
i sorry if i offended you by flushing him, but it offended me as well, it was the only solution i could come up with at 10pm
and by the way since he is gone, my tank has been perfect, and the fish i have left have finally started to come out from hiding in the rocks, which is where they have been since the first fish had got eaten.
i sorry if i offended you by flushing him, but it offended me as well, it was the only solution i could come up with at 10pm
bbreaux1
Member
ive got a green brittle star and never really had any problems of him eating live fish. when my two clowns died they were barely alive on the bottom the star never touched them but as soon as one went the star tried to get it. i do believe it ate two of my fighting conches but i blame that on me bacase i hadnt fed him a good chunk of shrimp in a while was just letting him eat left overs but im about to have to get rid of him when he is stretched out hes prolly atleast a ft from tip to tip and he only has 4arms i bought him that way and was on accident never relized it.
fantasy reef
Member
well, if you are close enough to me, I will take him off your hands. I have a 175 gallon that he would fit in nicely. I am in sabine parish, send me an email when you are ready to move him.
ophiura
Active Member
I don't think I can even reply constructively to this thread. So many people have 'jokingly' talked about flushing an animal and get ticked off when I call them on how irresponsible this attitude is. Most swear they would never do it in reality.
I think keeping a saltwater tank is a hobby you will not enjoy. Animals do not change their behaviors to suit you, and animals don't kill to tick you off. They hardly care how much you paid for anything, and it is silly to expect them to sit there and starve in an all you can eat buffet. And they don't have eating problems, so it is not a binge eating. You lost two animals, and downright killed a third, in a very cruel way (there are humane ways to do this, which I would have shared, had you asked...and perhaps many who would have taken it off your hands). The only truly innocent animal was the one you killed, because the brittlestar was not 'guilty' of anything other than being a brittlestar. There is no right and wrong, guilt or innocence in the food chain. And you had an animal that was put in there to scavenge, and may very well have been doing so.
People overlook a lot of stuff in the rush to judge. What are your water parameters, and tank history? Do you not want to investigate any other possibilities?
Please don't use the "gee so you guys have never made a mistake" answer. Most people here have not destroyed an animal in anger; nearly all of us have made mistakes, resulting in the death of an animal, and learned from them. There is a big difference.
Can I ask about your references on stars that are "brave enough to come out in the light to feed" indicating they are therefore more aggressive and more prone to killing and eating fish? I study these animals, and would like to know more about this apparent correlation.
I am truly proud, however, to be a part of a board where members do not appear to be swayed by your reasoning (killing the mere $8.00 brittlestar for eating $70.00 in fish).
I think keeping a saltwater tank is a hobby you will not enjoy. Animals do not change their behaviors to suit you, and animals don't kill to tick you off. They hardly care how much you paid for anything, and it is silly to expect them to sit there and starve in an all you can eat buffet. And they don't have eating problems, so it is not a binge eating. You lost two animals, and downright killed a third, in a very cruel way (there are humane ways to do this, which I would have shared, had you asked...and perhaps many who would have taken it off your hands). The only truly innocent animal was the one you killed, because the brittlestar was not 'guilty' of anything other than being a brittlestar. There is no right and wrong, guilt or innocence in the food chain. And you had an animal that was put in there to scavenge, and may very well have been doing so.
People overlook a lot of stuff in the rush to judge. What are your water parameters, and tank history? Do you not want to investigate any other possibilities?
Please don't use the "gee so you guys have never made a mistake" answer. Most people here have not destroyed an animal in anger; nearly all of us have made mistakes, resulting in the death of an animal, and learned from them. There is a big difference.
Can I ask about your references on stars that are "brave enough to come out in the light to feed" indicating they are therefore more aggressive and more prone to killing and eating fish? I study these animals, and would like to know more about this apparent correlation.
I am truly proud, however, to be a part of a board where members do not appear to be swayed by your reasoning (killing the mere $8.00 brittlestar for eating $70.00 in fish).
rook
Member
I could not agree more Susan. Too many people jump to blame the bittle stars, when they really are not sure what happen.
There are two possibilities.
1) The star did in fact catch and kill your fish. Why would the star do that. Either it was not getting enought food or it was overly agressive. The fact that it was willing to come out in the light (which hurts them) would make me think it was damn hungry. Or at least it would trigger enough questions to make me ask why, and not immediately say it is a killer.
2) The star did its job and ate a dying or dead fish. That is what they do. That is actually why you put them in your tank. I specifically added a brittle star to eat animals that die. You can not stop all animals from dieing in a reef tank. And what is worse, you can not get to the dead animal to remove it before it spoils the water. That is what makes a brittle star so usefull. It will eat the dead animal before it spoils you water.
I am not in any way pulling some religious mumbo jumbo on you. I simple think you jumped to a conclusion, which many people do, and judged the starfish with no real reason to believe the starfish KILLED your other fish. Why is it so hard to believe there is another reason your fish died?? Or that there is a very ligitimate reason your star ate the fish???
I am really not judging you, but I sure hope that you learn that this was not a proper way to deal with a problem. I have had fish and coral die, but I did not instantly decide, without reason, who did it, and killed the suspected culprit.
A reef tank is a very instable ecosystem which we all know very little about, including myself, Opirua, and you. To make such an uneducated decision and kill a starfish like that is wrong. Not wrong agaist religion, but wrong against the hobby and everything the hobby is trying to become.
I sure hope you study and understand any new items you add to or tank from this point forward. And if you ever decide you need to get ride of an animal again, tell me, and I will find a home for it.
There are two possibilities.
1) The star did in fact catch and kill your fish. Why would the star do that. Either it was not getting enought food or it was overly agressive. The fact that it was willing to come out in the light (which hurts them) would make me think it was damn hungry. Or at least it would trigger enough questions to make me ask why, and not immediately say it is a killer.
2) The star did its job and ate a dying or dead fish. That is what they do. That is actually why you put them in your tank. I specifically added a brittle star to eat animals that die. You can not stop all animals from dieing in a reef tank. And what is worse, you can not get to the dead animal to remove it before it spoils the water. That is what makes a brittle star so usefull. It will eat the dead animal before it spoils you water.
I am not in any way pulling some religious mumbo jumbo on you. I simple think you jumped to a conclusion, which many people do, and judged the starfish with no real reason to believe the starfish KILLED your other fish. Why is it so hard to believe there is another reason your fish died?? Or that there is a very ligitimate reason your star ate the fish???
I am really not judging you, but I sure hope that you learn that this was not a proper way to deal with a problem. I have had fish and coral die, but I did not instantly decide, without reason, who did it, and killed the suspected culprit.
A reef tank is a very instable ecosystem which we all know very little about, including myself, Opirua, and you. To make such an uneducated decision and kill a starfish like that is wrong. Not wrong agaist religion, but wrong against the hobby and everything the hobby is trying to become.
I sure hope you study and understand any new items you add to or tank from this point forward. And if you ever decide you need to get ride of an animal again, tell me, and I will find a home for it.
fshhub
Active Member
wel, that last one was jsut asking ot get flamed, should have let it go
first, 10 pm? put it in a bag and call more stores tomorrow
2d put it in your Qtank(which i am sure you don't have) or sump or regugium
3d put it in a bag, and float it, asking here who ants one, somebody close would come and get him or pay ot have it shipped
4th as stated, dont blame him, either it was too hungry or it jsut did what came natural. would you blame apet tiger, if it ate your prized peacock, which you kept in the same cage?
thisis what happens when we impulse buy, instead of researching first, as susan had metnioned. This hobby is not for you, if these are your cases. and Impulse buying ois the last thing we want to do in sw aquariia
first, 10 pm? put it in a bag and call more stores tomorrow
2d put it in your Qtank(which i am sure you don't have) or sump or regugium
3d put it in a bag, and float it, asking here who ants one, somebody close would come and get him or pay ot have it shipped
4th as stated, dont blame him, either it was too hungry or it jsut did what came natural. would you blame apet tiger, if it ate your prized peacock, which you kept in the same cage?
thisis what happens when we impulse buy, instead of researching first, as susan had metnioned. This hobby is not for you, if these are your cases. and Impulse buying ois the last thing we want to do in sw aquariia
melissa v.
Member
first of all i agree i made a hasty decision by flushing, second of all i didn't know anything about stars other than what i had read on this message board about how gentle they were, not once did i read that they would eat fish, yes you are right he was hungry, i know i was not feeding him enough, i had read on this same board that you didn't have to feed them anything other than what you were feeding the other fish. i had no clue that they required that much food, i have had this tank for over a year and my water raedings are perfect, as were all of my fish, until i got the star, which my brother bought and gave to me (i didn't have a chance to research) but yes i should have after i got him, other than this board, i just figured you guys had touched on everthing i needed to know, apparently i was wrong)
so i hope you are all happy you were right and i was wrong
BUT LET ME STRESS THIS YOU ARE WRONG TO TELL SOMEONE HOW WRONG THAT THEY ARE IN A MEAN WAY.
AGAIN I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE VERY RELIGIOUS ABOUT YOUR SW TANKS, AND I LOVE MINE AS WELL BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYONE ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF ANTS, ROACHES, AND MICE, OR HOW ABOUT THIS
DO YOU EVER GO TO A SEAFOOD REASURANT TO EAT?
OR BETTER YET DOSEN'T IT KINDA, MAYBE, SOUND MEAN TO YANK SOMETHING OUT OF THE OCEAN WHERE IT IS HAPPY AND CRAM IT IN A TANK EVEN A LARGE TANK DOSEN'T COMPARE TO THE OCEAN.
SEE IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW YOU LOOK AT THINGS.
BUT AGAIN I DO AGREE, I WAS WRONG TO FLUSH, BUT, EVERYONE HAS DIFFRENT OPNIONS OF BEING CRUEL TO ANIMALS, I HAPPEN TO THINK IT IS VERY, VERY, VERY CRUEL TO CATCH A MOUSE IN A TRAP, HE SEES FOOD YOU ARE OFFERING, THEN BAM DECAPITATED, BUT AGAIN I BET A LOT OF YOU USE THESE, BECAUSE YOU ARE SCARED OF THE LITTLE FELLOW. HOW CRUEL IS THAT?
so i hope you are all happy you were right and i was wrong
BUT LET ME STRESS THIS YOU ARE WRONG TO TELL SOMEONE HOW WRONG THAT THEY ARE IN A MEAN WAY.
AGAIN I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE VERY RELIGIOUS ABOUT YOUR SW TANKS, AND I LOVE MINE AS WELL BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYONE ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF ANTS, ROACHES, AND MICE, OR HOW ABOUT THIS
DO YOU EVER GO TO A SEAFOOD REASURANT TO EAT?
OR BETTER YET DOSEN'T IT KINDA, MAYBE, SOUND MEAN TO YANK SOMETHING OUT OF THE OCEAN WHERE IT IS HAPPY AND CRAM IT IN A TANK EVEN A LARGE TANK DOSEN'T COMPARE TO THE OCEAN.
SEE IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW YOU LOOK AT THINGS.
BUT AGAIN I DO AGREE, I WAS WRONG TO FLUSH, BUT, EVERYONE HAS DIFFRENT OPNIONS OF BEING CRUEL TO ANIMALS, I HAPPEN TO THINK IT IS VERY, VERY, VERY CRUEL TO CATCH A MOUSE IN A TRAP, HE SEES FOOD YOU ARE OFFERING, THEN BAM DECAPITATED, BUT AGAIN I BET A LOT OF YOU USE THESE, BECAUSE YOU ARE SCARED OF THE LITTLE FELLOW. HOW CRUEL IS THAT?
melissa v.
Member
OPHIURA,
i did a search on copernic(a search engine i have) i looked up fish eating serpent stars, and i pulled up hundreds of web pages, there is even videos of them eating fish. if you are researching this as you say that you are. there you go enough to keep you busy for weeks.
melissa v.
i did a search on copernic(a search engine i have) i looked up fish eating serpent stars, and i pulled up hundreds of web pages, there is even videos of them eating fish. if you are researching this as you say that you are. there you go enough to keep you busy for weeks.
melissa v.