Brittle star trapped?

[kenyacat]

I have a large brittle star (brown) that has managed to get himself in between the two parts of the overflow. This is the built in American Glass type overflow. There is an outerwall that you see when looking at the tank. Then there is the inner wall with a small space in between. He is in between there.

He has been there about a week. We tried to lure him out with food, but that didn't work. We don't want to go poking around with a hook of some type because we do not want to kill him. Not sure if he can get out on his own. Over the weekend he was still alive. You see the tips of his arms reach through the grate every so often.

Any suggestions on how bad this is and how to get him out.

Thing is to even get in there he would have had to go about the water level, up and over the overflow.

[scrmbld33]

i would try 2 sticks and try and lift him out. i had a green star trapped in mine for a while, he got out on his own.

[2534878]

It's always been my experience that whatever a star fish gets into, it can most likely get out of too. I could be wrong, JUST IMOE. If it's not doing any damage or interefering with anything, I would just let it be. Please, anyone else PLEASE let me know if this is bad advice, I don't want him to do nothing then have it die :( I would feel bad. Thanks

[IslandCrow]

Have you watched him at night to see if he gets out. My brittle star has decided he likes hanging out behind my overflow now as well. He comes out at night, does his foraging and then goes back to his spot in the morning. My guess would be that he is not stuck.

[mikekr]

I've had a serpent star in the same spot as yours for about 3 months now. Every few days I'll see an arm or two poking out. At first I tried to get it out but couldn't. I guess it will come out if it wants to.

[acrodave]

If it got in. it can get out

[kenyacat]

Thanks. I will let him be for a while. Heck there is probably all kinds of things for him to eat back there.

[loosecannon]

He will be fine.