reef safe serpent/brittle stars?

BHenderson79 · 01-07-2008, 05:12 PM

when i first set my tank up, i put a large serpent star in as one of the first inhabitants. it looked like this:

after the tank was more established, i started adding coral. one day the star pulled a colt coral down off its base and killed it. didn't try to eat it or anything, it just seemed curious and probably killed it by accident. after that, i took the star back to the shop so it wouldnt cause more damage and i could continue with getting some corals without fearing i would be throwing money away.

i miss how cool the serpent star was, and if i could get another and not fear that it would cause damage, i would definitely do that. any suggestions?

panmanmatt · 01-07-2008, 05:15 PM

I've had serpents in my reef with no issues. I would advise you to stay away from the green brittle star, they are notorious for eating fish and anything they can grab onto.

Dentoid · 01-07-2008, 05:16 PM

Bill they are considered to be reef safe. I have 2 in my 90 gallon tank, both with a diameter of about 12". They have never killed anything in my tank. Are you sure it pulled the coral down, or did the coral fall over and the serpent was an innocent bystander?

I would not hesitate to recommend these stars in a reef tank!

BHenderson79 · 01-07-2008, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dentoid

Bill they are considered to be reef safe. I have 2 in my 90 gallon tank, both with a diameter of about 12". They have never killed anything in my tank. Are you sure it pulled the coral down, or did the coral fall over and the serpent was an innocent bystander?

I would not hesitate to recommend these stars in a reef tank!

i feel like i remember watching it partly happen, but it was a while ago so maybe it wasn't quite like that. i definitely did see the star "playing" with it after it was knocked down, though. playing involved pulling bits off and discarding them.

lcstorc · 01-07-2008, 06:28 PM

That is very unusual. I have a very large orange serpent star and he has never bothered anything. It spends most of the day hidden in the rocks and only comes out at feeding time and at night. I love to target feed him. It is really cool to watch him pull the food into his mouth. I just have to keep my sailfin away till the star finishes because the sailfin is a pig.

BHenderson79 · 01-08-2008, 09:06 AM

One more question - should i worry about any stars bothering fish that sleep in between the LR at night? I have a bunch of firefish that all lay in between pieces of rock when the lights go off, and I wouldn't want them being grabbed by a star in the night!

BoomerD · 01-08-2008, 10:10 AM

I've kept serpents and brittles for years with no problems with corals or fish. You DEFINITELY want to avoid the infamous green brittle star however:

O. Incrassata (and a couple of it's relatives) are excellent fishcatchers. I've never seen/heard of serpents or brittles trying to kill corals however. I have to wonder if the colt coral was dying or injured and the brittle was feeding on the dead/dying matter. They are scavengers, but IME, never bother the living.

BHenderson79 · 01-08-2008, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoomerD

I've never seen/heard of serpents or brittles trying to kill corals however. I have to wonder if the colt coral was dying or injured and the brittle was feeding on the dead/dying matter. They are scavengers, but IME, never bother the living.

The colt was definitely in very good shape, I really think it was more of a matter of an accidental matter with the serpent star just being a little too big and curious. The star liked to climb around and explore and probably had at least an 8 inch arm span.

framerguy · 01-08-2008, 10:35 AM

I had a large serpent identicle to yours pictured that did kill an orange spot goby and ate the tail off my cardinal before it got away. He is now in the refugium. I have two red serpents that don't bother anyone and have also never noticed serpents bothering corals. Those things personally being observed, I believe that the colored serpents (red, yellow, orange) are less likely to bother fish.

BHenderson79 · 01-08-2008, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by framerguy

I had a large serpent identicle to yours pictured that did kill an orange spot goby and ate the tail off my cardinal before it got away. He is now in the refugium. I have two red serpents that don't bother anyone and have also never noticed serpents bothering corals. Those things personally being observed, I believe that the colored serpents (red, yellow, orange) are less likely to bother fish.

very interesting. i have no idea what species it is that i had, but i will keep that in mind.

AQTCJAK · 01-08-2008, 11:06 AM

I have had a few of the sepents & brittles that can rake havoc in a reef the Red Sepent & the black brittle very much so hunters eat fish & snails never had the issue with coral though

Jason25 · 01-08-2008, 11:13 AM

My banded serpent likes to snack on snails, I caught him after lights out one night trying to turn the snail over to get to him.

BHenderson79 · 01-08-2008, 11:17 AM

Are there any species that we can agree definitely do NOT attack anything?

framerguy · 01-08-2008, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Are there any species that we can agree definitely do NOT attack anything?

not in the serpent group.

nikkipigtails · 01-31-2008, 02:50 PM

I've got a bubble tip brittle star that hasn't bothered any of my corals. I've had it for about 2 years but it does like to eat my snails and my hermits. It stays hidden in the rocks for the most part when the lights are on. It comes out at night to feed, but I've never watched it. But it is a pretty good detrivore if waste floats it's way.

01-07-2008, 05:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	reef safe serpent/brittle stars? when i first set my tank up, i put a large serpent star in as one of the first inhabitants. it looked like this: after the tank was more established, i started adding coral. one day the star pulled a colt coral down off its base and killed it. didn't try to eat it or anything, it just seemed curious and probably killed it by accident. after that, i took the star back to the shop so it wouldnt cause more damage and i could continue with getting some corals without fearing i would be throwing money away. i miss how cool the serpent star was, and if i could get another and not fear that it would cause damage, i would definitely do that. any suggestions?

01-07-2008, 05:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
panmanmatt Acropora Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Waretown, NJ Posts: 1,727 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: reef safe serpent/brittle stars? I've had serpents in my reef with no issues. I would advise you to stay away from the green brittle star, they are notorious for eating fish and anything they can grab onto. __________________ The mind is like a parachute, it only works when opened. (\__/) (='.'=) (")_(")

01-07-2008, 05:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 9,529 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: reef safe serpent/brittle stars? Bill they are considered to be reef safe. I have 2 in my 90 gallon tank, both with a diameter of about 12". They have never killed anything in my tank. Are you sure it pulled the coral down, or did the coral fall over and the serpent was an innocent bystander? I would not hesitate to recommend these stars in a reef tank! __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

01-07-2008, 06:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 16,432 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: reef safe serpent/brittle stars? That is very unusual. I have a very large orange serpent star and he has never bothered anything. It spends most of the day hidden in the rocks and only comes out at feeding time and at night. I love to target feed him. It is really cool to watch him pull the food into his mouth. I just have to keep my sailfin away till the star finishes because the sailfin is a pig. __________________ 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.

01-08-2008, 09:06 AM	#6 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: reef safe serpent/brittle stars? One more question - should i worry about any stars bothering fish that sleep in between the LR at night? I have a bunch of firefish that all lay in between pieces of rock when the lights go off, and I wouldn't want them being grabbed by a star in the night!

01-08-2008, 10:10 AM	#7 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,223 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: reef safe serpent/brittle stars? I've kept serpents and brittles for years with no problems with corals or fish. You DEFINITELY want to avoid the infamous green brittle star however: O. Incrassata (and a couple of it's relatives) are excellent fishcatchers. I've never seen/heard of serpents or brittles trying to kill corals however. I have to wonder if the colt coral was dying or injured and the brittle was feeding on the dead/dying matter. They are scavengers, but IME, never bother the living. __________________ Intelligence is not knowing all the answers, but knowing where and how to find them! www.google.com

01-08-2008, 10:35 AM	#9 (permalink)
framerguy Golden Moray Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mount Airy, Ga Posts: 2,920 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: reef safe serpent/brittle stars? I had a large serpent identicle to yours pictured that did kill an orange spot goby and ate the tail off my cardinal before it got away. He is now in the refugium. I have two red serpents that don't bother anyone and have also never noticed serpents bothering corals. Those things personally being observed, I believe that the colored serpents (red, yellow, orange) are less likely to bother fish. __________________ ___________________________________ Greg All time fav quote: "Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."-Guillaume Apollinaire "Being happy can be as easy as deciding to be!"-Greg Kimsey (framerguy) 75g Main, 55g Fuge w/DSB/+-25#LR, 25g Sump, turboflotor skimmer, 2x250w MH(9hrs/d), 4x65w PC(14h/d), 950gph mag drive/seaswirl return, 100# LR, 3" SB chronicles-akwareum (\___/) This is Bunny. (=O.o=) Copy and paste him into your signature (")__(") to help him gain world domination

01-08-2008, 11:06 AM	#11 (permalink)
AQTCJAK Tiger Shark Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 6,203 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: reef safe serpent/brittle stars? I have had a few of the sepents & brittles that can rake havoc in a reef the Red Sepent & the black brittle very much so hunters eat fish & snails never had the issue with coral though __________________ 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

01-08-2008, 11:13 AM	#12 (permalink)
Jason25 Achilles Tang Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Lancaster,PA Posts: 881 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: reef safe serpent/brittle stars? My banded serpent likes to snack on snails, I caught him after lights out one night trying to turn the snail over to get to him.

01-08-2008, 11:17 AM	#13 (permalink)
BHenderson79 Limpet Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Trenton, NJ Posts: 136 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: reef safe serpent/brittle stars? Are there any species that we can agree definitely do NOT attack anything?

01-31-2008, 02:50 PM	#15 (permalink)
nikkipigtails Elegance coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Hillbilly Hell, AL Posts: 1,105 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: reef safe serpent/brittle stars? I've got a bubble tip brittle star that hasn't bothered any of my corals. I've had it for about 2 years but it does like to eat my snails and my hermits. It stays hidden in the rocks for the most part when the lights are on. It comes out at night to feed, but I've never watched it. But it is a pretty good detrivore if waste floats it's way.

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