White Serpent or Brittle Star?
- Thread starter benj420
- Start date
donkeykong
Member
I have seen a white brittle, it was more of a pearl color. It wasnt the size of a dime more of a softball.
ophiura
Active Member
Yes, it will not get much larger, but will reproduce rapidly. They are considered to be very good additions to the tank. They are Amphipholis squamata, and are self feritilizing hermaphrodites which brood their offspring. They will perhaps reach the size of a quarter (total, including arms).
benj420
Member
Originally posted by ophiura
Yes, it will not get much larger, but will reproduce rapidly. They are considered to be very good additions to the tank. They are Amphipholis squamata, and are self feritilizing hermaphrodites which brood their offspring. They will perhaps reach the size of a quarter (total, including arms).
Will I have to worry about any of its tankmates eating it before it gets a chance to reproduce? Blue Hermits, Astreas, Damsel.
By the way, since finding the Amphipholis squamata, I have seen two of the thicker leg stars. One has 6 legs and the other has five. They are both off-white, almost sand color. Do you think they are sand sifters?
ophiura
Active Member
I don't think you will have to worry too much about the little brittlestars. Odds are there are far more in there than the one you saw...and you only need one anyway because they can handle reproduction on their own. 
Most people never see them at all, and then they see a bunch of them in the sand. But you have to know what to look for. Most of the time, you will not see them.
As for the other stars, these are also hitchkikers. They are not sand sifters. They are Asterina stars, and a search for this term should result in many hits (at least one a week!). There are a few species imported, but they are very difficult to distiguish. Most people have a species that is an algal/bacterial film grazer, and will randomly cover the rocks and glass.
A few people have the species that eats SPS corals. In this case, it will be on the corals, and not just randomly on the glass/rocks. So just keep an eye out if you have any. Otherwise, the majority are pretty good to have, IMO. They reproduce by fission, splitting in half, and tend to have uneven legs (and from 5-7 of them). Again, they will generally only be about the size of a nickel or quarter at most.
Most people never see them at all, and then they see a bunch of them in the sand. But you have to know what to look for. Most of the time, you will not see them.
As for the other stars, these are also hitchkikers. They are not sand sifters. They are Asterina stars, and a search for this term should result in many hits (at least one a week!). There are a few species imported, but they are very difficult to distiguish. Most people have a species that is an algal/bacterial film grazer, and will randomly cover the rocks and glass.
A few people have the species that eats SPS corals. In this case, it will be on the corals, and not just randomly on the glass/rocks. So just keep an eye out if you have any. Otherwise, the majority are pretty good to have, IMO. They reproduce by fission, splitting in half, and tend to have uneven legs (and from 5-7 of them). Again, they will generally only be about the size of a nickel or quarter at most.
ophiura
Active Member
PS. People often condemn all Asterina stars, thanks to GARF. This is very misleading, and people are overly worried about them.
Seastars are not stupid, and won't randomly wander around the glass and rocks until they find the appropriate food. I have lots of these in my nano tanks. They are reproducing. I have no SPS corals. Don't condemn the lot. If you have the algal/bacterial film grazer, then they are helping out. Very few people, considering the number of hobbyists who report seeing them, actually have the species that eats SPS corals. And if it is, you will see it on your corals.
If you don't want them, remove them, and find someone with a Harlequin shrimp
Seastars are not stupid, and won't randomly wander around the glass and rocks until they find the appropriate food. I have lots of these in my nano tanks. They are reproducing. I have no SPS corals. Don't condemn the lot. If you have the algal/bacterial film grazer, then they are helping out. Very few people, considering the number of hobbyists who report seeing them, actually have the species that eats SPS corals. And if it is, you will see it on your corals.
If you don't want them, remove them, and find someone with a Harlequin shrimp
j21kickster
Active Member
funny you mention those -b/c i have seen those exact ones eating the poyps off of galaxia coral at work on more than one occasion