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FAQs about Green Brittlestars, Ophiarachna incrassata
Identification Related
Articles: Brittlestars,
Sea Stars, An
Introduction to the Echinoderms: The Sea Stars, Sea Urchins,
Sea Cucumbers and More... By James W.
Fatherree, M.Sc.
Related FAQs: Green Brittlestars 1,
Green Brittlestars 2, & FAQs on:
Green Brittlestars Behavior, Green
Brittlestars Compatibility, Green
Brittlestars Selection, Green
Brittlestars Systems, Green
Brittlestars Feeding, Green
Brittlestars Disease, Green
Brittlestars Reproduction, &
Brittlestars 1, Brittlestars 2,
Brittlestars 3, & Brittlestar ID,
Brittlestar Behavior,
Brittlestar Compatibility,
Brittlestar Selection,
Brittlestar Systems,
Brittlestar Feeding,
Brittlestar Disease,
Brittlestar Reproduction, & Seastar
Selection, Seastar Compatibility,
Seastar Systems, Seastar Feeding,
Seastar Reproduction, Seastar Disease, | 
Oh yeah. Oh heck yeah.
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- What kind of Brittle Star is this? -
Hello to the WWM Crew
and Happy New Year!
<And happy new year to you. JasonC here...>
I just returned from my LFS with a brand new bristle star? <?>
I
went in for a sand sifting star for my new DSB, they couldn't locate
it in the tank and proceeded to tell me and my wife that I didn't
want one of those anyway as they eat all the good stuff in the sand
base. <That is true.>
The next choice and ONLY $5 more was a
great lil' "bristle star", We were told they much more animated and
entertaining and will not harm anything in your tank. <Uhh... is
that a money back guarantee?>
I came home and of course started
to look him up on the FAQ's, care and feeding and such. But I did
not find a "Bristle star" but I did find a "brittle star" faq and
now I'm wondering if I brought a green brittle star. <That is indeed
what you have, and these seastars can be quite predacious on smaller
fish.>
I've attached a photo, would you be so kind as to help us
identify this little creature. <Yes, a green brittle star for
certain.> Judging from what I've read in the FAQ's here, if it is
indeed a green brittle star, it will be returned tomorrow along with
a few comments toward the LFS manager. <That's exactly what I would
do.>
Thanks again for the WONDERFUL SERVICE (Yes I'm shouting it
at the roof tops) you guys provide for us.
Dave
<Cheers, J --
> |
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- More on the Green Brittle Star -
JasonC; <Hi...>
Thank you
for the help with identification. <My pleasure.>
I promptly returned
the creature to the LFS, they proceeded to call it a Green Serpent and
said it would be fine (leave other fish alone) for at least 2 or 3
years, but did admit that it would eventually attack smaller fish. <I
doubt it would take that long.>
They did however refund my money.
<Ahh, good.>
What would your recommendation be for my next tank
inhabitant?
I do not have any immediate (with-in the next 1-2 years)
plans for buying any expensive fish or corals. I'd like to start on the
low end of the money scale, prove I can do this and then move up. I'd
like something for maintenance of the DSB, debris clean-up and such, but
I'm pretty much open at this point. <I'm a big fan of Nassarius snails.>
I have a 55g with liverock & 4" DSB. It's been running for 45 days.
Currently only 1 Domino Damsel living in the tank.
Thanks again for
all the help, Dave
<Cheers, J -- > |
Serpent Star Question 11/08/07
Reading tons of FAQ's and
reading the RC forums I found myself confused. I understood brittle
stars and serpent stars to be very different creatures.
<Um, not
necessarily. And this is the problem with common names. "Serpent"
and "brittle" could be used to describe different animals or they
could be used to describe the same animal. Please see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestars.htm>
I also understood
green brittle stars to be very dangerous inhabitants to have in a
reef tank, but I had never heard anything negative about green
serpent stars.
In my tank I have assorted SPS, 2 hammer corals
(separate near an overflow), assorted Zoanthids, 2 blue/green
Chromis, 2 pajama cardinal, 2 black Ocellaris (1.5"), 2 peppermint
shrimp, and 2 skunk shrimp, and also a 5"red and 5"green serpent
star) The tank is a 120G containing about 150lbs of LR, with a 25G
sump, and 35G rock, Chaeto and DSB Fuge.
About 1 week ago 1
blue/green Chromis, and 1 peppermint shrimp disappeared. I had
previously wondered if there was any aggression in between fish, and
in order to watch I set up a mirror and watched from the next room
for several hours while surfing the web.
<cool idea>
There
was no aggression I could see. Now after reading some posts from
people about "dangerous green serpent stars" I wonder whether my
green serpent star is the offender (there was no body found), or if
someone was just mistaken and meant to right green brittle star.
<Maybe they weren't "mistaken" per se but simply had a different
idea of how to use the name(s).>
To sum this all up, is the green
serpent star dangerous, or does "green death" only apply to green
brittle stars?
<I think that the names "green serpent" and "green
brittle" are often used interchangeably. I've seen Ophioarachna
incrassata called by either name. Again, this is the tragedy of
common names. So, my friend, I'm sorry to say it sounds like you may
likely have the dreaded "Green Death" star (yet another common
name--though one a bit more specific in this case).>
Thank you so
much in advance, you folks were a wonderful resources helping me get
started.
Joshua
<Thank you and de nada,
Sara M.>
Re: Serpent Star Question, and Blenny question -11/11/07
Ah
thank you so much for the help and information, hopefully getting
the serpent/brittle/green death star out will have fixed the
disappearing Chromis and shrimp problem.
<Hope so! :-)>
I
dimmed the lights and coaxed him out over the course of an hour,
then grabbed him and moved him to the overflow on my refugium.
I
do have more questions for you though.
My stocking list goes In
my tank I have assorted SPS, 2 hammer corals (separate near an
overflow), assorted Zoanthids, 2 blue/green Chromis, 2 pajama
cardinal, 2 black Ocellaris (1.5"), 1 Orange Striped watchman goby
(3"), 2 peppermint shrimp, and 2 skunk shrimp, and also a 5"red and
5"green serpent star) The tank is a 120G (48x24x24) containing
about 150lbs of LR, with a 25G sump, and 35G rock, Chaeto and DSB
Fuge.
In my long term goals I hope to keep a mandarin dragonette,
but I am prepared to wait as long as needed to grow and maintain a
pod population capable of supporting him.
<Cool... and please
note that there are ways to culture these pods too.>
I am also
interested in a Foxface, but I am unsure if he would be appropriate
for two reasons, the four foot length of the tank,
<Hmm, why
would this bother the Foxface? They actually *need* a lot of space.>
and the bunches of potentially tasty corals.
<Huh, I think you
may be getting some weird misinformation on these fish. Please see
here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/rabbitfi.htm>
In the more
near future I am considering a Lawnmower Blenny to the tank. Do you
see any problems with him in this mix, I've heard they are
interesting creatures generally. Will the watchman goby be to
similarly shaped to get along with him.
<Haha, um, what? I'm
sorry, but are you sure you're thinking of the right fish here?
Shrimp/watchman gobies and Foxface/rabbit fish look nothing alike.
Please see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/shrimpgobies.htm>
Thank you so much again, Cheekymonkey
<My pleasure,
Sara M.> |
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