What is your technique for feeding a serpent star?

[tjkohler]

And what exactly to you feed it. Do you take something like a silverside or piece of shrimp and 'hand' it to him? I'm still learning how to make a 'mush' that doesn't just get sprayed all over the place and fall to the sand bed to just get pushed around. I will be getting this star tonight. If you just hand him the food, do you give it to his arm or his disc? Thanks.

 

[sandy]

Some people can hand feed theirs with a small piece or krill or whatever. Mine just scoots away if I get near it. I tried all sorts of things, but the pesky and fairly aggressive pepperment shrimp would take anything away.
Soooo... sometimes I'll put in a sinking brine shrimp pellet or a plankton sinking pellet. It stay's put. The star can get to it pretty quickly and it is funneeee to see it suck up this small "stick" and have a tent for a disc for awhile.
Mostly I think it relys on scavenging at night for un-eaten stuff. Seems to be fine and I only supplement a couple of times a month now. (if the disc looks shrunken in)

 

[jake22]

It depends on how active your serpent stars are. I have 2 tanks both have serpemt stars in them. One of them thats in my sea horse tank i have seen actually eat a live ghost shrimp. My other serpent star wont move so i place the food nearby him using a turkey baster. If your serpent star is hanging on a rock like mine did for a month i used to use my hand to feed and he would take the food right out of my hand, just make sure he can feel the food then he will wrap his leg around it and take it.

 

[sterling]

I have a basket star which I either use a turkey baster or feed by hand. My cleaner shrimp always knows when I'm feeding the star and comes over to rob him of his meal, so I have to give the shrimp and piece of mysis to keep him occupied. I feed the basket star mysis, brine and silversides. He takes all of them.

 

[pa reef pig]

Not hard at all to feed a hungry serpent star. Just get the food (small piece of raw shrimp) close to him and he will grab it with his arms and put it in his "mouth". Mine are ferocious. They love to eat but I dont usually feed them. I let them fend for themselvs. They can find enough to scavenge from the regular feedings.

 

[richard rendos]

Mine all scavenge mostly, but once in a while I will hand feed them small pieces of silversides. They wrap all around my hand looking for it.

 

[broomer5]

I don't target feed hermit crabs, brittle stars or serpent stars.
I want them hungry all the time out looking for stuff to eat.
To me, feeding my clean up crew is like telling the janitor that he's off that day, can just kick back and take it easy napping and doesn't need to go clean up the messy floor in the hallway.
They got other things to do in my tank besides laying around waiting for me to hand feed them the lazy little buggers !
No freeloaders allowed !
Scavengers scavenge !

 

[pa reef pig]

LOL Broomer. My sentiments exactly

 

[shadow678]

I agree with that, too. I understand that some people get them simply because they are pretty or interesting, but they ARE scavengers, and will eat leftovers without needing much additional help. Mine are sneaky little suckers and never come out with the lights on, so I couldn't feed them myself anyways. lol

 

[ocellaris_keeper]

I HAVE THREE - TWO Love to be hand fed - I touch thier tenticle and then give them food and they take it to their mouth. the third hides under a rock and waits until the lights are out to eat.