Hitchhiker! Brittle Star Friend Of The Reef Tank?

[jetbox]

Hi got a brittle star as a hitchhiker on some live rock.. are these ok to keep.

i ask because I had a very small anemome yesterday which has gone today. Has this been eaten by the star???

 

[1entra]

Brittle stars are fine, a lot of people end up paying money for them so count yourself as lucky for having got it free!

Brittle stars are not known for eating anemones, but anemones are known to quickly pull away into small cracks/holes in rocks and out of sight so that is probably what yours has done! You may well see it again in a matter of minutes, hours or days even!

I'm assuming it is a aiptasia (pest anemone) you have got right? They are also known to reproduce quickly and can move around the tank so that could well be what it's done!

 

[jetbox]

it didnt look like an aiptasia to me, will keep a look out for it though, I had thought the brittle star had eaten it in the night...

 

[1entra]

Well what sort of anemone do you believe it was then? I really doubt the brittle star would have ate it. They are good scavengers however and will eat any uneaten offd along with DEAD livestock ie. fish! Make good CUC members!

 

[aberdeen aquarist]

What Entra said, my bet is its an aiptasia or a manjano anemone, good score on the bristlestar though!!

 

[Adrinal]

Brittles and serpents are the BOMB (good way hehe). And, if some one tells you it ate their fish. Tell them their fish was dead.

I've seen them climb past dying fish and they dont touch them at all. Soon as the fish stops breathing though... "clean up on Isle 4!"

 

[jetbox]

its gone now but... just searched for a picture and think it was a manjano...( from memory as i can't see it now) oh dear hope i don't get more... will do a search to see how i get rid of them

 

[1entra]

You can use similar methods to get rid of manjano as you do with aiptasia such as Joe's Juice. Its a shame they can turn into such pests really as they really are attractive and colourful!!

 

[jetbox]

found it tonight.... hiding was a manjano. removed the rock scraped it off, hopefully got it all

 

[1entra]

Fingers crossed! Bt keep a close eye on your tank especially the same piece of LR to see if it or others re-appear!

 

[n3ont3tra]

FYI there are a few reports of Green brittle and serpent stars catching and eating LIVE fish.

 

[jetbox]

oh no another hitchhiker..... looks sort of like a worm coming out from a cave, its a long tube approx 3-4mm diamater that extends and retracts at least 30mm and then rolls back inside itself.

looks kind of like an elephant trunk that expands and contracts... any ideas what it is??? good or bad?

 

[n3ont3tra]

No idea... but it sounds like the same thing I have.

 

[Spence]

I think i mite have one of these. don't know what it is. a tube like thing comes out a tiny bit and back small again. it does have like a white stringy thing coming out of it every now and then?

 

[fatfishman]

I think i mite have one of these. don't know what it is. a tube like thing comes out a tiny bit and back small again. it does have like a white stringy thing coming out of it every now and then?

White stringy thing, could be a sea cucumber