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Thread: Brittle Star... Good or bad? Ophiocoma alexandri Lyman, Alexander's Brittle Star

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    Apprentice Rob's Reef's Avatar
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    Brittle Star... Good or bad? Ophiocoma alexandri Lyman, Alexander's Brittle Star

    Hey Guys and Gals,

    So a couple months ago i decided to add some Blue Green Chromis to my tank...
    So i bought 10 of them acclimate and all that good stuff and they eventually make it in my tank.

    The tank is 300g so they end up splitting up in two groups, then they would all group back up and this went on for a couple day... then on like the third or 4th morning i wake up and now only have 4 Blue Green Chromis...

    So i'm searching my overflow and sump and find nothing... i'm loking in the rocks closely to see if they are just hiding.... nothing!

    So now i'm like where did they disappear to!

    So a couple days later i'm still kinda searching the tank and decide to spend some time looking at my Rhicordia's when i see this arm reaching out! So i examine more and am like Wow, i've got a brittle star in here of some kind... hard to tell cuz i can only see the tips... 3" tips though!!!

    Now mind you i didn't purchase this thing and put him in there so he definfinitly made his way in thru the live rock at some point....

    So i'm Guessing this is where all my chromis disappeared to! grrr I've spent weeks trying to get a good look at this guy so i can try to I.D. him and nothing, only the tips come out in multiple sections of a Giant rock i have...

    So last night after about an hour of the lights all being off i decided to give it a shot... turned on the flashlight and there he/she was!!! I can't believe this giant has been living in my tank this long without me knowing... his arms have to be 8" long and they are very thick! his body is the size of a half dollar!!!

    I I.D. him as Ophiocoma alexandri Lyman 1860, Alexander's Brittle Star

    Now being it is a reef tank and i'm planning on adding a lot more little fish, Goby's ect. do i need to get this moster out of my tank somehow??? is he going to continue to hide in his spot and pick off my lil fish???

    I Can move him to another FOWLR tank that is setup as more of a predetor tank... And if thats the case how to i get this sucker to come out of his hiding place to catch him???

    Any ideas?

    thanks

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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    I'm not familiar with that particular star, but it certainly could be a fish predator. I had a green britle that picked off a few small fish before i removed it. I got it out by turning off all the pumps and lights and placing a piece of raw shrimp on the sand bed. After a minute it caught the scent and came out for a snack. i just reached in and pulled it out.
    **KEEP ME AWAY FROM SUPER GLUE ... i tend to glue my lips shut !!**

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    Apprentice Rob's Reef's Avatar
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    yeah a may just have to throw him in my other tank : /

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    Assistant Moderator rayme07's Avatar
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    Are you sure he is eating your chromis's. Chromis's normally tend to dye out of the blue sometimes and he could just be doing his job.
    Ray or Raymond
    There is no elevator to success in marine tanks. You have to take the stairs.


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    Apprentice Rob's Reef's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rayme07 View Post
    Are you sure he is eating your chromis's. Chromis's normally tend to dye out of the blue sometimes and he could just be doing his job.
    i dont think he leaves his lair! He sticks his arms out and grabs passer byers... if the chromis al died over night he didnt go scavenger them all up...

    I just tried to get him to come out to get a silverside and he almost came all the way out to where i could maybe grab him but he got spooked and went back in...

    im just trying to make sure all his arms are out so i dont hurt him when pulling im out... wonder if he'll curl up if i confine his body from going back inside the rocks...

    Here goes round two ;p

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    Assistant Moderator rayme07's Avatar
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    Good luck with catching him.
    Ray or Raymond
    There is no elevator to success in marine tanks. You have to take the stairs.


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    Grand Master Reefer CarmieJo's Avatar
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    I agree with Raymond that chromis do tend to dwindle but it is unlikely that you would loose that many at once. I would get the brittlestar out!
    Carmie


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