Question about sea star

salty420

salty420

this fish was coming on to me
Mar 8, 2007
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Sugar Grove, IL
So I got a sea star, I am thinking it's a green brittle star though it was sold to me as a serpent star. I have a pic of it in my fire shrimp thread, sorry I don't know how to link to it...
Anywho... I was watching him tonight inflating and deflating. Not fast or anything, just he bubbled up slowly (it was SO wierd) and then he was all huge and fat... then a bit later he deflated back down. This happened right after tonight's feeding. Is this normal? I assume it had to do with dinner time but I really have no idea. Also, if he is infact a green brittle I've read they can/will eat small fish if not fed enough, but what should I feed him? I hope he'll get bits of something but my fish and expecially the big nass snails take care of pretty much everything I drop in the tank. I don't want him grabbing a fish some day so I want to make sure he gets enough to eat. I'd take him back to the LFS if it was local but alas it's a bit of a drive. Also like I said I haven't been able to positively ID him as a naughty sea star yet. THANKS, Kat
 
Link for the lazy there you go :)

I have a serpent sea star and I will say mine doesn't look anything like that, he's quite "serpent-like" more smooth looking, like a snake. But I think yours is quite cool, whatever he is!

If it is a green brittle star (does kind of look like this, doesn't it?) the book I got on the advice of someone here (Identifying Marine Invertebrates) says it will assume the proportions of a large golf ball or marble when ingesting a large meal. And it does describe it as quite predatory on fish/shrimp/crabs :(

ETA: I meant link for the lazy as in those like me who are normally too lazy to go search for a link, lol.
 
well i got an ear full when i called the LFS about the star... he told me that it is not true that green brittles eat fish. he said that he's had plently and has one in his reef now and they will not ever touch a fish unless it's injured or dying. he said anywhere i read it is wrong! and i should believe the person who sold it to me and not anyone else. HA.
if anyone can suggest a different star for me i will bring him back to the shop. even if the owner will replace any fish that get eaten i don't want to lose the fish to the star.
 
If you belive the LFS on this I have some oceanfront property in Arizona that I will sell you for a real good price.
 
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