Serpent Starfish profile
- Thread starter rohnds
- Start date
They apparently hang upside down in the rockwork waiting an unsuspecting fish to swim buy then they drop down on the poor fish and game over......they are predatory and I don't think I would have one in my tank as most of my fish are small........they would probably be okay in tanks with active swimmers that were bigger than them. I wouldn't have them with gobies or blennies or any perching type fish....
LMAO. Serpent starfish do not "hunt" fish. I have had one for over two years and never lost a fish or anything to it... actually he gets picked on by a bumblebee hermit, the hermit will literally take food from the star before he can get it to his mouth and is pretty funny to watch... I target feed mine with a long ridgid air tube and a syringe and he will just ball up around the end and grub on the food. Serp stars are scavengers.
What happened to joe fish could be a fluke type thing where he had a really aggressive star or the fish died and then the star would definately go after the carcass... remember they are scavengers.... a vulture won't kill but will eat the dead...
Lorna.... I have also had my goby for over a year n a half and he never leaves the bottom... the star doesn't pay any attention to him at all...
What happened to joe fish could be a fluke type thing where he had a really aggressive star or the fish died and then the star would definately go after the carcass... remember they are scavengers.... a vulture won't kill but will eat the dead...
Lorna.... I have also had my goby for over a year n a half and he never leaves the bottom... the star doesn't pay any attention to him at all...
" The Brittle or Serpent Stars are grouped as the Class Ophiuroidea, characterized by having highly mobile arms that can be used to assist in (relatively) rapid motion. These starfish-like echinoderms are decidedly quicker and more delicate than asteroids. Their common name is derived from their sinuous, snake-like movements, and the fact that they're truly brittle and break away easily if they come under attack. The podia in this class are generally used as sensory organs, rather than for active feeding as with their kin, the asteroids. There are more than 2,000 described species worldwide, and they're found congregating throughout shallow reef environments, hiding under rocks and within and between other living organisms. A Green Brittle Star, Ophiarachna in captivity. This animal is often becomes a fish predator with growth/size.
Brittle stars have the same good/bad choices amongst them. My strong advice is to seek out smaller individuals of species that stay small. Brittle stars are nocturnal and require a dark space to hide during the light of day; they are active scavengers at night, and are not opposed to ingesting sleeping fishes they can get their legs on."
from the pages of Wetwebmedia
From what they say they can become fish eaters as they get larger.........
Brittle stars have the same good/bad choices amongst them. My strong advice is to seek out smaller individuals of species that stay small. Brittle stars are nocturnal and require a dark space to hide during the light of day; they are active scavengers at night, and are not opposed to ingesting sleeping fishes they can get their legs on."
from the pages of Wetwebmedia
From what they say they can become fish eaters as they get larger.........
OK here is my pic of the goby with an arm of the serp star on each side of it...
Sorry it isn't the greatest .... I am still trying to find the right settings for my camera, shooting through 1/2 acrylic isn't the greatest.
Here is another that is a little better...
Not to contradict LORNA's info but from my experience they are not that aggressive and have never heard of anyone else with any problems.... but with all the different types of serp stars from all over the different oceans they inhabit I wouldn't doubt there are some that can/would catch and eat fish.
Sorry it isn't the greatest .... I am still trying to find the right settings for my camera, shooting through 1/2 acrylic isn't the greatest.
Here is another that is a little better...
Not to contradict LORNA's info but from my experience they are not that aggressive and have never heard of anyone else with any problems.... but with all the different types of serp stars from all over the different oceans they inhabit I wouldn't doubt there are some that can/would catch and eat fish.
Looks like you got one of the docile ones. I have been reluctant to put one in my tank after reading that they can become predatory once they get large. Then again, so do sally lightfoot crabs and other things......sooooo
I guess even hairy mushrooms have claimed their share of small fish that get too close too........in fact I have seen my small mushroom of about 1-2 inches eat a half of a silverside that fell on it.
I guess even hairy mushrooms have claimed their share of small fish that get too close too........in fact I have seen my small mushroom of about 1-2 inches eat a half of a silverside that fell on it.
I would love to get one again, but don't want to chance it. Mine looked like the you have dadstank. They are great at eating leftovers inside of rockwork. Maybe down the road when my fish get bigger. Is the one you have a banded serpent? Is it like a grey/brownish color in between the bands?
Actually, now that I look at yours more mine had larger bands.
Actually, now that I look at yours more mine had larger bands.
Tre, One thing that might coax him out is by using a long tube and syringe, suck up some brine or flake and "target" feed him but just tease him enough to come out...then let him chow...
I'm not sure what exact kind mine is but yes it is a grey/brownish color.. his diameter outstretched is about 8 inches and body is about the size of a quarter... just to give you an idea of how big he is...
I'm not sure what exact kind mine is but yes it is a grey/brownish color.. his diameter outstretched is about 8 inches and body is about the size of a quarter... just to give you an idea of how big he is...