Baby Brittle Starfish

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Trac2

Trac2

AC Members
Jan 21, 2005
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I bought a brittle starfish about two months ago. Most of the time I only see it's legs/arms ( I don't know what to call them). This morning I was able to get a good picture of the body and I noticed that there is a baby hooked to it. Well I think it's a baby. Is there anyone that can tell me if it is and do they normaly give birth in captivity? Well the it stay on it's mother or will it venture off on it's own?

Thanks for any help you maybe able to give.
Jennifer

star.jpg
 
pl*co

pl*co

Feeds low on the food chain
Jul 18, 2004
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Trac2, I think what you are looking at is referrred to as the "central disk" and what looks like a baby starfish is actually part of the "design" of the starfish itself. It reminded me of what the back of a sand dollar looks like. I have been looking for specifics on the central disk and came across this article. See what you think.

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/b/br/brittle_star.htm
 
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Trac2

Trac2

AC Members
Jan 21, 2005
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Thank you for the article. I read it but I still think it maybe a babie only because when I watch it move the little disk that is on the top moves it's legs. Or does the brittle star just have 10 legs. The five on the outside of the larger disk and the the 5 small ones on that tiny litttle disk??? I can't find a good picture that shows me the top and bottom of a brittle star fish. If you came across one please send it my way.Thanks so much. This is a new hobby for me. I just started in Nov. 2005. I have a 90 gal saltwater tank and I'm trying to find a good way to test my water. Looking for suggestions on a good tester for Saltwater/Reef tank.

Jennifer
 
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mogurnda

vaguely present
Apr 29, 2003
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Hmmm, looking at it again, it does look like a small brittle star on the big one's disk. They can reproduce asexually, so it's possible it had babies. Another possibility is that the small one rode in on the live rock.

In general, my favorite test kits are from Salifert. I test pH (although I use a meter now), alkalinity, nitrate, phosphate (occasionally), and calcium.
 
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denise2854

AC Members
Mar 3, 2009
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My brittle has babies, they are white and there are LOTS of then, they do not look like this. There center is not big like this one. I would try louring him out and looking at him from all angles. Brittles eat their babies, so if it is, keep it away.
 
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