serpent star
- Thread starter mack
- Start date
ophiura
Active Member
Originally Posted by mack
hi all i would like to now how these star fish reproduce i have a baby serpent star and only one adult i have not added any thing new for 5 months and just saw him tonite and he is very small am not sure how he got there any help thank you all
Is it tiny and white? Please check the hitch hiker thread located in the new hobbyists forum, at the top.
There are several common small hitch hiker brittlestars in LR and LS. You most likely have one of these an NOT a juvenile of the adult. Most brittlestar are broadcast spawners and you would need two adults - and be lucky enough to get a male and female. Then you would have to make them spawn, which is unlikely. Then the larvae would have to survive the pumps, etc in the tank.
It is much more likely you have a much smaller species of brittlestar that is a common hitch hiker. Many of those reproduce well (they are not broadcast spawners) in our tanks :yes: Check out that thread for sure, there are some pictures.
hi all i would like to now how these star fish reproduce i have a baby serpent star and only one adult i have not added any thing new for 5 months and just saw him tonite and he is very small am not sure how he got there any help thank you all
Is it tiny and white? Please check the hitch hiker thread located in the new hobbyists forum, at the top.
There are several common small hitch hiker brittlestars in LR and LS. You most likely have one of these an NOT a juvenile of the adult. Most brittlestar are broadcast spawners and you would need two adults - and be lucky enough to get a male and female. Then you would have to make them spawn, which is unlikely. Then the larvae would have to survive the pumps, etc in the tank.
It is much more likely you have a much smaller species of brittlestar that is a common hitch hiker. Many of those reproduce well (they are not broadcast spawners) in our tanks :yes: Check out that thread for sure, there are some pictures.
ophiura
Active Member
Here is the seastar page from that thread:
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=163871
Also note there are other small species that have striped arms.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=163871
Also note there are other small species that have striped arms.
ctgretzky9
Member
Ophiura...i have a q about whitish britttlestar Amphipholis squamata...
I notice a lot of them in my crushed coral substrate, up against the glass. DO they ever come out to the surface, or is that their best home?
I would love to "urge" some out and have them on my live rock etc....if I scoop some up and put them on my lr, will they most likely just dive for the cc? Or will they just end up as food?
Thanks! Seems a shame they are in my cc and not out and about
I notice a lot of them in my crushed coral substrate, up against the glass. DO they ever come out to the surface, or is that their best home?
I would love to "urge" some out and have them on my live rock etc....if I scoop some up and put them on my lr, will they most likely just dive for the cc? Or will they just end up as food?
Thanks! Seems a shame they are in my cc and not out and about
ophiura
Active Member
Well, most brittlestars are not usually "out and about" except maybe at night. But the crushed coral is where the food accumulates, so it is where they will too. It is safe - lots of brittlestar size holes to be in, and lots of food. I reckon you probably also have some IN the LR, but you are not likely to find them ON the LR because, yes, that does expose them to predators. They don't usually seek that out. 
ctgretzky9
Member
Thanks as usual Oph...I cant even begin to tell you how many i must have! On each side of the hex tank I can see the side of the cc, I can always spot a few per side up against the glass. Cool... :jumping:
mack
Member
thanks for the reply it may be a hicth hicker but i have not added any thing including live rock in 5 months and this thing is the size of the tip of a ball point pen and has five very small legs that look alot like floss for your teeth and it is blackish brown . thanks for any reply ?
ophiura
Active Member
There are a couple of thousand + species of brittlestars so it is virtually impossible to tell what it may be from the description. Would need a picture for sure, and even then it may be hard. It is most likely a hitch hiker, IMO, and possibly a juvenile of a larger species. That has definitely happened, but unlikely to be offspring from the larger brittlestar you have.