Green brittle stars fish and invert safe?

[clownfish24]

Hi,

Saw a recent thread about brittle stars being reef safe. But I was wondering if anyone had first hand experience with them killing fish or inverts? I recently inherited a 10-inch one (came with tank of live rock I bought on CL). It has lived peacefully with a royal gramma for years. I wanted to add it to my 55g with 3 damsels (1.5 inches each), cleaner shrimp, fire shrimp and emerald crab. How likely is it that he will kill something?

Thanks much,

Mary ("clownfish24")

 

[reeferpj]

i have a 12 14 inch greeb BS 2 CBS over stocked with coral some small fish. all is good in my reef

 

[JohnK]

Green brittles will sometimes trap small fish when they get large. They will hold themselves up so that the body is like a table, when a small fish swims underneath the star will grab the fish and swallow it.

 

[Blueflu1]

Green brittles will sometimes trap small fish when they get large. They will hold themselves up so that the body is like a table, when a small fish swims underneath the star will grab the fish and swallow it.

I read the same thing. I have two regular brownish brittle stars and they are perfect tankmates. I always heard though that the green ones can get real mean when they get bigger and will take your fish.

 

[JohnK]

Yea, I've only seen it with a green one. The one I had started to do the table thing after a few yrs. Around the same time I started seeing the table like behavior I had a couple damsels disappear with no explanation.

I didn't see anything, so I can't know the star was the culprit, but it was enough that the star got banised to the sump and eventually given away....

 

[reeferpj]

Green brittles will sometimes trap small fish when they get large. They will hold themselves up so that the body is like a table, when a small fish swims underneath the star will grab the fish and swallow it.

hmmm i'll have to look for this tableing thing

 

[Rone]

Not to get off topic but what type of Star Fish would be best for cleaning in an FOWLR and for both parties to leave each other alone.
I know about 10 years ago I had a CC Star and the fish was eating it.

 

[Lil Shark]

We used to inheret killer brittle stars at the shop all the time. The green ones get really big so unless you keep him super well-fed...

 

[clownfish24]

Giving the star a chance...

I will try keeping the green brittle star with the damsels until I either see that "table-ing thing" or a damsel goes missing. Thanks everyone...

 

[jayman10134]

i don't think they are saying that it wouldn't try to eat your expensive cleaner and fire shrimp, if that makes a difference.