Catch a Star (Brittle)

[Albatros]

Hi all,

I have a brittle star that is getting a little too big and am concerned that it is going to start snagging fish. Any suggestion on how to catch it?

Generally he stays in the rocks and would not be easy to pull out. I am betting I need to do some late night recon and try to catch him when he is out.

Also one other question ... he should be fine in the fuge right?

Thanks,

John Wildman

[Rob]

food...
they love food.. the best way would be once you get its general location get a chunk of raw shrimp or something, and lour him out...
if you let one of the arms start to grab the food (that you are folding in tweezers) then you can start to work him out of the rock work, as it will likely go after the food if you start to pull it away..

now this method is not as quick as it may sound, but if your patient you can get them out...

the other options is the standard trap.. get a 20oz pop bottle(cleaned of course), cut off the top to make the opening bigger and put some food int here (garlic extract soak helps, as it ALWAYS draws my serpents out) then place the the bottle in the tank by where you know the star is at, when it goes into the bottle, pull it out.. ...
this method will also require patience, but eventually should work well

[JustDavidP]

Rob's capture ideas are right on. If you need to catch the star, it may take time, but can be done.

You seem real excited to get it out of the tank. Have you actually seen your star attempt to overtake any tankmates? What color star is it? How large is large?

The reason I ask is that I've owned brittle stars before and only had problems with one. A very large (like 10 inchess across) green brittle star that was just "trouble". But, I also had a chocolate brown, with black stripes, brittle star that got just as big and was very peaceful. I eventually gave him away to a fellow reefer with a big tank but only because I was breaking mine down. Not all brittle stars are a problem.

Try not to "grab" it as you can and will break off one of its arms. They have a strong grasp and if on live rock or coral would rather give you one of its appendages than to give up It's best to bait and trap it.

Dave

[pham411]

brittles will come out of the rock work at nite looking for food. just have a flash light handy like an hour after your lites go out.

[Rob]

just be careful with the light...
i know that when my serpents get hit with the light from a flashlight, they scurry right back to the rocks...

[medic29]

I've just discovered that my brittle stars (Red brittle star and Ornate Brittle Star) may be the culprits to my disappearing Filament Flasher wrasses My Canary wrasse is fine and I have had no problems with him, but I'm told it is because he burries himself in the sand where, again I'm told, the filament flasher wrasses wedge themselves into rock crevisis to sleep and thus make themselves dinner for the brittle stars. Bummer!!!

Anyway, I am going to try to capture these two brittle stars. Their center (the disc) is a bit bigger than a quarter or so; if I use Rob's technique, do I cut the 20oz bottle to allow for this size, or do I go some smaller? Also, what keeps the star from putting its arms inside the bottle to get the food without climbing all of the way inside? Plus, once inside, what keeps it from climbing out? Or do I need to be standing there waiting for it to get inside, then pull the bottle out?

Can I put these guys in my sump? Or should I find a new home for them? I don't want them to starve or anything.

Thanks,
Rick

[PhotoJohn]

You have to stay and wait for them to come out and go into the bottle and then snatch the bottle out of the tank.

I have a coral goby who is always in my nanos rockwork and has never been bothered by my brittle. It is about 1' across.

[JustDavidP]

I'd not put them in the sump. They do need meaty foods. Best to give to an LFS or someone else who can care for them.

D