What eats serpent stars?

[kungen]

Hi,

in my tank I have thousands of small (3cm) serpent stars. They are absolutely everywhere!
Does anyone have an idea on what could eat some of them?

Would be nice to find something that eats Xenia, brown buttons and some fan worms as well.. :)

//Hans

[SeanT]

Sounds like they are mini brittle stars.
Detrivores.
Their population will increase and decrease depending on how "dirty" (how much detritus) you have in your tank.

They are helping to process waste...but if you really want them gone you could try a Harlequin shrimp (Hymenocera picta). They feed on echinoderms (starfish).

hth,
Sean


http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/graphics/mocharlequinshrimp_350.JPG

[kungen]

A Harlequin might be a good idea! :)

Do they eat all echinoderms? I have sand shifting star that I would like to keep....
But it would be easy to remove to get the brittle stars under control at least.

I'm a bit surprised how quickly the brittle stars have reproduced. My tank is acctually quite clean with lots of SPS growing like crazy. I do feed the tank alot with phytoplankton... so I suspect they could be filter feeders more than detrivores...

[SeanT]

Hans,
If you put a Harlequin in there all bets are off.
It will eat all of your starfish, many urchins and other echinoderms.
Sean

[kungen]

I was thinking about Chelmon Rostratus and/or Moorish Idol... any change that they might help?

[kungen]

Urchins?... then I have move those as well. :(
But they are safe with corals, clams, sponge and fanworms?

How effective are they Harlequins? Do they eat 1 mini brittle star/day or 10/day or 100/day? Because I have THOUSANDS! :)

[SeanT]

They are effective.
Get a pair if you like.

But once their food source is exhausted you will need to either...
A. Feed them starfish.
B. Remove them and trade/sell them.
C. Watch them die.

I do NOT vote for "C". :(

Sean

[TippyToeX]

I think getting a harlequin is a very bad idea. Not only are they delicate creatures, they are not meant to be kept (nor should they ever be IMHO) as starfish population control. You are only encouraging the place you buy them from to bring in more. Not a good thing as they are really for a more advanced reef keeper who is willing to live with their food requirements.

You have so many mini brittles, or what ever starfish invasion because you are keeping them well fed. Stop that and they will die off. Why are you feeding phyto?

And why get rid of them (stars) in the first place? Are they being destructive? Or just unsightly?

[kungen]

They are mostly unsightly. A few here and there is fine with me but now I have way too many.

I'd like to keep feeding phyto because my tank has never been better. I have sponges, fan worm and much more growing nicely. All the water parameters are excellent and everything looks fat and happy.

I would not buy a harlequin if I didn't think I could give them the right enviroment. But I doubt 1 harlequin could do that big impact on the thousands of stars I have.

[SeanT]

Have any pics of your tank? :)

[kungen]

A recent picture
http://www.drakfisken.se/bilder/koraller.jpg

And this is a few months ago
http://www.drakfisken.se/bilder/halva.jpg

[SeanT]

Gorgeous corals. :thumbsup:

How about a picture of all these starfish? :)

[dean1977]

leave the brittle stars

[sivad]

My limited understanding is that Harlequins tend to eat only the tube feet of starfish and generally leave the brittles alone (assuming your brittles dont have tube feet). Some owners have posted that their harlequins have eaten more than the tube feet though. Stunning picture! Wow.

[kungen]

Not easy to get a good picture of them...

They mostly come out at night... daytime you only see a few of their arms sticking out everywhere.

This picture is how the intake to a pump looked after it had been turned off for 1 day.

http://www.drakfisken.se/bilder/brittle.JPG

[TippyToeX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6465636#post6465636 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kungen
But I doubt 1 harlequin could do that big impact on the thousands of stars I have.

Then I wouldn't suggest getting one. :)

Beautiful photos and corals!

[kungen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6472088#post6472088 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TippyToeX
Then I wouldn't suggest getting one. :)

Beautiful photos and corals!

Good point! :)

But if not harlequins, what else might eat them?

[gsrracer]

good info

[Krudco]

I have seen my wrasse chomp down a few in my tank.

[kungen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6506258#post6506258 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Krudco
I have seen my wrasse chomp down a few in my tank.

Hi Krudco, what kind of wrasse do yo have?
I have lubbocki but he couldn't care less about them..

[Krudco]

Right now I have a six line wrasse.
It seems to swim around a peck at any little critter not smart enough to stay hidden.

[MG21]

I have a yellow coris wrasse in my 240 that helped out with my snail problem. I'm pretty sure he would help control the starfish.