Brittle Star

tbittner · 10-24-2007, 10:48 AM

I'm now convinced that my brittle star has dug out quite a cave under a rock. I see him hanging out at the mouth after lights out. If this unusual for brittles?

I also have a serpant brittle and he just moves from crevice to crevice.

AQTCJAK · 10-24-2007, 11:05 AM

Not unusual @ all

tbittner · 10-24-2007, 07:01 PM

Ok, thanks Jack. I was worried that I had picked up a mantis in one of the rocks. I didn't think they would be able to co-exist in the same cave though, so I figure it was the brittle.

BoomerD · 10-24-2007, 07:53 PM

I had a black/gray brittle that I rarely saw...except for tentacles swaying in the current as they searched for food. One day, I happened to catch him out of the rocks...

and my how he had grown! When I put him in the tank, the legs were about 3-4" long...in that pic, the legs are about 12" long! I always target fed my brittle and serpents when I fed my anemones...the same bits of chopped calamari, silversides, or shrimp that the anemones were getting.
The brittle was shy about eating, often, I'd have to coax him into taking a bit of food off the skewer, where the serpent was an aggressive feeder and would try to wrestle the skewer from my hands...

GeeWizzItsMe · 10-24-2007, 07:54 PM

tbittner · 10-24-2007, 09:53 PM

Yeah Boomer, they DO grow fast! I'm not sure I'm going to be able to keep both of mine because they are starting to get pretty big. They seem to be satisfied with the food they get from the bottom though (pellets and flake). I see them reaching out from under rocks and wrapping their arms around a pellet and pulling it back under the rock. I feed medium sized pellets so they are pretty good size.

I really need to get a better camera!!!

lcstorc · 10-25-2007, 08:12 AM

My serpent does the same thing. I make sure to target feed him a couple of times a week. I don't want him to get hungry and take out an unsuspecting or sick fish.

BoomerD · 10-25-2007, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcstorc

My serpent does the same thing. I make sure to target feed him a couple of times a week. I don't want him to get hungry and take out an unsuspecting or sick fish.

My experience over the years was that only the green brittle is a fish-eater. The rest are satisfied with detritus and uneaten food, but would gladly take a bit of shrimp or fish if it was offered.
My gray serpent was the aggressive feeder, but never bothered any other animals in the tank...but at feeding time, he'd come "galloping" out from under the rocks to be fed.

tbittner · 10-25-2007, 07:42 PM

I was at my LFS one day and they were feeding the display tank. Out of no where, here comes this brittle heading for the substrate to get food. Everything got out of his way!

Mine haven't gotten that bold. I rarely see their legs sticking out from under the rock.

10-24-2007, 10:48 AM	#1 (permalink)
tbittner Watch this Ma! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 5,070 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Brittle Star I'm now convinced that my brittle star has dug out quite a cave under a rock. I see him hanging out at the mouth after lights out. If this unusual for brittles? I also have a serpant brittle and he just moves from crevice to crevice. __________________ Terry My chronicle 120g with 300g sump/refug, Outer Orbit HQI/T5HO 24-Hour Light System: : 48" 250W HQI 4x54W Lots of fish. 150g predator tank full of killers. 450g tank is IN the HOUSE!

10-24-2007, 11:05 AM	#2 (permalink)
AQTCJAK Tiger Shark Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 6,203 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Brittle Star Not unusual @ all __________________ A Wiseman once said build a stage add a pole & they will dance - Jack 2007 www.aquaticaggression.com Projects & Chronicels http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...car-buffs.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nts-tanks.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...t-science.html Videos http://murrayproductions.org/DIY%20a...%20off%204.wmv http://murrayproductions.org/Reef%20...grass%2007.wmv

10-24-2007, 07:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
tbittner Watch this Ma! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 5,070 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Brittle Star Ok, thanks Jack. I was worried that I had picked up a mantis in one of the rocks. I didn't think they would be able to co-exist in the same cave though, so I figure it was the brittle. __________________ Terry My chronicle 120g with 300g sump/refug, Outer Orbit HQI/T5HO 24-Hour Light System: : 48" 250W HQI 4x54W Lots of fish. 150g predator tank full of killers. 450g tank is IN the HOUSE!

10-24-2007, 07:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,223 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Brittle Star I had a black/gray brittle that I rarely saw...except for tentacles swaying in the current as they searched for food. One day, I happened to catch him out of the rocks... and my how he had grown! When I put him in the tank, the legs were about 3-4" long...in that pic, the legs are about 12" long! I always target fed my brittle and serpents when I fed my anemones...the same bits of chopped calamari, silversides, or shrimp that the anemones were getting. The brittle was shy about eating, often, I'd have to coax him into taking a bit of food off the skewer, where the serpent was an aggressive feeder and would try to wrestle the skewer from my hands... __________________ Intelligence is not knowing all the answers, but knowing where and how to find them! www.google.com

10-24-2007, 07:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
GeeWizzItsMe See Golden Compass Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Nashville Posts: 1,857 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Brittle Star Wow! __________________ VP of Dork Club http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-new-tank.html

10-24-2007, 09:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
tbittner Watch this Ma! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 5,070 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Brittle Star Yeah Boomer, they DO grow fast! I'm not sure I'm going to be able to keep both of mine because they are starting to get pretty big. They seem to be satisfied with the food they get from the bottom though (pellets and flake). I see them reaching out from under rocks and wrapping their arms around a pellet and pulling it back under the rock. I feed medium sized pellets so they are pretty good size. I really need to get a better camera!!! __________________ Terry My chronicle 120g with 300g sump/refug, Outer Orbit HQI/T5HO 24-Hour Light System: : 48" 250W HQI 4x54W Lots of fish. 150g predator tank full of killers. 450g tank is IN the HOUSE!

10-25-2007, 08:12 AM	#7 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 16,431 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Brittle Star My serpent does the same thing. I make sure to target feed him a couple of times a week. I don't want him to get hungry and take out an unsuspecting or sick fish. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g Jawfish enjoyment ASM answer girl. Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

10-25-2007, 07:42 PM	#9 (permalink)
tbittner Watch this Ma! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 5,070 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Brittle Star I was at my LFS one day and they were feeding the display tank. Out of no where, here comes this brittle heading for the substrate to get food. Everything got out of his way! Mine haven't gotten that bold. I rarely see their legs sticking out from under the rock. __________________ Terry My chronicle 120g with 300g sump/refug, Outer Orbit HQI/T5HO 24-Hour Light System: : 48" 250W HQI 4x54W Lots of fish. 150g predator tank full of killers. 450g tank is IN the HOUSE!

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