starfish????whatkind?????

[invertaman]

i am looking for a algae eating star that will not eat my live stock.
1 3-striped damsel
1 domino damsel
3 turbo snails
2 scarlet hermits
1 emerald crab
my tank is a 20 gallon long and has a major green algae problem
anyone got any ideas?:help:

 

[effloresce]

stars dotn eat algae, they eat uneaten food that break down and make alage.
what kind of alage do you have, on the sand/rocks or glass?

 

[invertaman]

its a 20g and it has green algae. major green algae.
but i was looking into a choco chip or a brittle star are any of these ok?

 

[ophiura]

Neither will address the problem. A brittlestar definitely not, and a chocolate chip prefers meat to algae, in general. YOu are far better off figuring out why you are getting all the algae. As far as animals, snails would be relatively better at that.

 

[dburr]

i have a green serpent star......are these bad?
It will get big and eat fish. You should research before you buy anything to avoid problems later.
Invertaman, I see you have 3 turbos, how about more snails of a different kind. Turbos are great at eating hair and get big but other snail,IMO, will also help alot.:yes:

 

[ophiura]

This is not a sure thing at all. It may or may not be a problem, which can be said, realistically, about many species of brittlestar in the hobby. Every tank is different, every star is different...and everything we keep in our artificial environment may do the unexpected. Very difficult to make such generalizations, especially in a "disposable" culture. Some people could take such advice and throw animals in the trash
Besides, quite frequently this brittlestar is sold as part of a clean up crew...what sort of advice is that? So people may very well have done research...it is still commonly sold, after all, as a hardy critter and good cleaner.
Others may not do research and not listen to what is told them after the fact anyway....
Richfish, I do believe you asked, and received an answer on this question before.

 

[dburr]

what sort of advice is that? So people may very well have done research...it is still commonly sold, after all, as a hardy critter and good cleaner.
You are right. I am giving him a general answer to the general questions he repetably asks. I apologize for the generalized answer. I know he doesn't take advice anyway so I figured it would just blow over his head. I think he should apolajize for the hyjack.
Green britle stars are commonly sold yes, and they commonly eat healthy fish. They are preditors, more so than other stars. That has been my experiance. I would never put one in my tank with other fish.

 

[clarkiiclo]

The algae you have is it hair algae?
I would get one more emerald crab. Try removing the algae by hand.
Also check your water parameters. If you have alot of algae check your phosphate level.

 

[ophiura]

Originally posted by dburr
I know he doesn't take advice anyway so I figured it would just blow over his head. I think he should apolajize for the hyjack.

This is quite true. This is the second time the same exact question was brought up...and potentially not the last.
Yes, the green brittlestar is a known predator in the wild. It may, or may not, display this behavior in captivity...it is unclear how often they use it in the wild. It is also reported in many different species of brittlestars in captivity, which are not known predators in the wild. It is also often reported by people whose fish have died, and the brittlestar scavenges the fish. This is, IMO, the only explanation for these stars getting larger, presumably healthy fish like tangs which they are sometimes blamed for. So that is a difficult distinction to make. It is very difficult to sort out the actual frequency of predatory behavior in captivity. But I agree, if I was worried about this, or would be ticked off if it happened, I would return the brittlestar (and probably all large brittlestars since nearly all have been implicated) to the LFS. It is definitely a possibility. But I have quite a few greens, at one time 3 in with a 6 line wrasse in a 15g (along with other brittlestars) and nothing happened. So again, different tank, different animals, no such experience with predation (not that I would ever get rid of the brittlestars anyway). It is odd, but they seem to be quite adaptable indeed for an animal without a brain.