Oil_Fan

I have a number of these star like thingies and yes, they move. I just noticed them this past weekend. I was able to get a couple good pics of them yesterday. Does anyone have any idea what they are?

Peterpiper

Brittle stars, there good and wont give you any problems.
Gee you got a few in there!

Oil_Fan

Now to move one or 2 into my main tank!! heh

Oh wait...next question...reef safe?

soldieroffortune1974

You do have a few of them.Brittle Stars are perfectly safe for reef systems,as long as it's not the green stars.

Peterpiper

Green stars? never seen them.... bad news SOF?

soldieroffortune1974

They're identical to the pics posted by Oil_Fan but a greenish color.They have a habit of eating corals,and will attack some fish. I had a small 1 in my reef set-up a few years ago.The green star ate my shrimp and attacked a few fish,but they were able to get away.

Oil_Fan

Thanks guys. I've looked at a number of pics of them and they do look like brittle sea stars. I'm going to wait a bit longer and then will add one into the main tank. I guess I'll see if my LFS wants the rest in a few months. Considering they can get upwards of 10 or 12 inches, I don't think I should have more than one in the tank.

What's weird is that the last pieces of LR that I added was back in May or June. And that was into the main tank. None of that LR went into my sump yet here these guys are.

Angela_96

Wow ur a lucky person!! Brittle stars!! I want some!

Oil_Fan

Give me a few months...I could probably drive one up. I'm like 90 minutes from Chattanooga. heh

nemo addict

You proberly have more but they are very good at hiding in live rock i have 2 large ones in my tank which came on live rock and have only seen them about twice in 2 years and once being a few weeks ago havent seen for months thought they where dead , and the only reason i see them was because i moved tank and found them in the bucket from where i stored the live rock ,,, they are good at cleaning the rock for you , and only really come out when its dark this is why i found when i stored live rock because it was dark ,,,, allthough they do get big you probley wont even know they are there ,,, i am moving my rock again soon due to a rebuild and i will see if they are still alive then proberly

Slug

I bet you already have some of those in the main tank, you just can't see them easy. They come out mostly at night, from all crevices on the LR. They seem to be prolific for me.

Cool pictures.

Oil_Fan

Thanks Slug. Now I'm going to have to stay up late looking for them...heh

nemo addict

best get ya self a red torch then ,,
and you can get to bed quicker lol ,,
and you might see even more then you bargained for