Starfish Questions

Hello everyone:
How about my new green brittle star. Heres a picture. The guy said it was safe.

Cheers
Jay

 

Hello.....guess everybody left ..... :-[

 

Just you and me Jay And I know nuthin' 'bout 'em

John

 

I sure like the way he crawles slowly around the crevises of the rock......looking for whatever he thinks is food. I seem to spend lots of time just watching the life in the tank.

 

Here's a link that says some good things about them

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/m-inverts/Green-Brittle-Star.html

 

and another with a different opinion

quote
"I had an orchid Dottyback who was living inside an empty snail shell. This morning, I found my green brittle star next to the shell with the Dottyback in his mouth. I had heard that some brittle stars can be quite adept at catching sleeping fish, but had not experienced it first hand until now.
Should I worry about the brittle star catching other fish? What can I do to keep this from happening again?
Thank you."

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestarbehfaqs.htm

 

Jay,

With the two differeing opinions above, just remember that ALL marine creatures are opportunists. If they can get away with eating someone else they will

John

 

They tent by holding their body above the sand and when a fish ventures underneath WHAM!  This behavior is attributable to most large starfish.

 

the Knobby Star fish are particularly bad with fish that tend to sleep on the bottom of the tank.  They sneak up on fish for a midnight snack.

I have also heard that the Green Brittle Starfish will also become troublesome when older.  I havn't had any experience with them so this is hearsay.  Most Brittle stars are great scavengers including the GBS but unlike the other BS's the GBS will prey on things when is gets bigger.

 

My brittle star made quick snacks of two Flasher Wrasses it found sleeping in the sand. Two $30 snacks, unacceptable!