Small White Brittle Starfish - page 3 of Live Rock Hitchhike

[MadamePoisson]

Hi Everyone! I have found the answer to want these criiters are on page 3 of the Live Rock Hitchhiker info pages! (Sorry no pic...they didn't turn out at all...they're too small!) I have many little white brittle starfish! Do they remain very small? Do they live long? Any predators? Thanks!

 

[cboyfan2020]

if they are about the size of a dime they are ok. they will multiply rapidly and could become a nuisance but I dont think they hurt anything. They have 6 legs? They wont get much bigger but the reproduce like rabbits so if you dont want them all over get as many as you can out. Not sure of any predators.

 

[Len]

I've actually found that most fish eat these guys. I didn't think echinoderms were popular foods, but I've seen pseudochromids to wrasses (and most carnivorious predator of the rocks) eat them.

 

[Saltykirk]

They don't hurt anything that i've ever seen. I like to have them in every tank as well as my refugia. My 6 line wrasses and my H. melanuras wrasse loves them. But then he likes clams too. I suspect the little buggers are detritivores or at least they don't eat fish like those darn green brittle stars.

 

[bc-matty]

I have to say that I like the little guys! I just put in my live rock a few days ago and by an hour later, one was on the glass crawling around.
Just tonight I found a little colony of them in a live rock, waving their arms out of the holes and cracks. I sure hope they don't eat anything like corals.

I don't know still... they are the first sign of living life in my tank so far, and I am happy to see them.

 

[Anonymous]

They won't touch your corals. They stay small and are completely harmless.

 

[bc-matty]

Well in that case if they are harmless.. welcome to my tank frolicking little white stars! I think a little poem is in order:

A poem to the white stars Fish

Little White Star Fish,
you are so small and easy to miss.
You wave your many arms at me,
at remind me that you came from the sea.
Oh happy, merry little Star Fish!

Okay I am in dire need of supper now.. so excuse the over enthusiasm please! Hehehe