do i need to worry about a serpent star in my reef tank?

[romsoccer12]

LFS said it was a type of sand sifting starfish but i realized a couple weeks after i got it in my tank it was a serpent star. anything i need to know about it?

[evsalty]

Size and color? Can you post a pic?

[IslandCrow]

Most of them are perfectly safe and much better suited to a reef tank than a sand sifting star, so in this case, I think you lucked out by the LFS owner selling you the wrong thing. If I remember correctly, the green brittle stars are predatory, but I think those are the only ones you have to worry about. They definitely can get pretty big, though. If we're talking about the 29g in your profile, it may just outgrow that.

[evsalty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15257091#post15257091 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by IslandCrow
Most of them are perfectly safe and much better suited to a reef tank than a sand sifting star, so in this case, I think you lucked out by the LFS owner selling you the wrong thing. If I remember correctly, the green brittle stars are predatory, but I think those are the only ones you have to worry about. They definitely can get pretty big, though. If we're talking about the 29g in your profile, it may just outgrow that. I have 2 sandsifting stars in my tank and they are far better then the red/brown brittle star that I used to have. I would never see my brittle out during the day and would have to stick feed every other day. My sifters keep the sand surface stirred and clean and I do not have to supplement their food source at all.

http://www.azreefs.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=86&pictureid=963

[snorvich]

The problem is that sand sifting sea stars will clean your live sand of all life and will eventually, long term, starve to death.

[driftin]

I've had a green serpent in my tank since it was established, and it came from an earlier set-up I had... probably have had it for 4 years. No problems with any fish or inverts, but it's quick to snag uneaten food on the sand bed. I rarely see the body, but the legs stick out from under my rockwork almost every feeding to let me know it's still alive!

[evsalty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15257386#post15257386 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snorvich
The problem is that sand sifting sea stars will clean your live sand of all life and will eventually, long term, starve to death. I highly doubt mine will eat all the life out of the sand as they never go more then a 1/4 inch into the sand and even then they just stay in that one place then reemerge and move on to another spot. Diamond Gobies eat up way more life from the sand then these guys IME.

[MrRyanT]

I've had a serpent star in my reef for 3+ yrs. Never had any problems with it. It is somewhat like a crab in that it is an opportunistic feeder. If you have a fish that's struggling in some way then it may attack and try to eat it. Mine is a good addition to the cleanup crew and I actually see it, body and all, very often.

[sminker]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15257629#post15257629 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by evsalty
I highly doubt mine will eat all the life out of the sand as they never go more then a 1/4 inch into the sand and even then they just stay in that one place then reemerge and move on to another spot. Diamond Gobies eat up way more life from the sand then these guys IME.

i agree. ive had mine for about 8 months and he is thriving. hes grown about an inch or so.

i would never own one in anything smaller than my 125 for the fact that they could possibly starve.

[billdogg]

If you are referring to Serpent stars, they are absolutely ok. Most of the Brittle stars are usually ok as well. I must, however, give a big thumbs down to GREEN brittle stars - they will eventually start making things disappear.

[BLKTANG]

Ive had my Serpent (Octopus Man) for 7years,My first ever starfish,& the only one still alive.Never a problem in my reef.BUT i do keep him fed with silversides.

[romsoccer12]

he looks like a circle with arms growing out. hes all purple but there are stripes of white on his legs. he somehow grabbed a piece of shrimp from my anemone and ate it hole.

[Superstretch18]

Sand stars are always eating whatever life they can find in the sand. Even though they look like they aren't doing anything, they are extremely predatory to the life in your sandbed. Either live sand or sand star; near impossible to have both...

As far as serpent/brittle stars, I've found most are not a problem, but the green brittles will wind up being a problem. I say this as someone that had one in my tank without issue for years. I also had another specimen of the same species clear out three fish before I figured out it was him. They are absolutely predatory, it just takes them some size before they learn to catch the fish...

[romsoccer12]

ill just target feed him every once in a while =)