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[knucklehead]

okay, here goes

I have lost two Carpenter flasher wrasses over the past month. They did not jump out of the tank, as far as I know they did not go down the drain into the sump and then into the pump suction. They were in great health, getting fatter all the time. One day one up and disappeared.

my parameters are right on, the only thing I can think of is that they are getting eaten. It sort of reminds me of the time I had a large Lion fish and a bunch of Damsels. They would just up and disappear and I would see a lump in my lionfish's belly.

Anyway, the inhabitants are

1 Conch
1 large tan colored brittle star (bigger than a foot across)
6 blue leg hermit crabs (all small)
3 Chalk Bass
1 Bicolor blenny
1 Carpenter flasher wrasse (female)
1 Crown Pearlyscale Butterflyfish
1 Finger leather
2 shrooms


I have heard that the Green Brittle stars eat fish, anyone have any experience with the tan ones??

thanks for any input

Bryan

[Unarce]

The large green brittlestars, Ophiothrix purpurea, are notorious for it. But, pretty much most, especially at that size, are capable of eating fish if the opportunity presents itself.

[Len]

Too many brittlestars that are tan, so it's hard to make a blanket statement about them. But I agree with reefnutz: given the chance, brittlestars will eat fish, especially the big boys.

[cdeakle]

It has to be the star or some unknown hitchhiker.........

[knucklehead]

I am gonna try to get a pic of one of the tentacles, I have not seen the main body since I put it in the tank

Thanks for all the input

[seamaiden]

Just get it the hell out of there, Bry! Jesus God, a foot across?? There are only a few species of brittles that have been definitively identified as fish-eaters, that still leaves a whole slew of possibilites. I'd stay away from ALL brittles to be safe.

reefnutz, got any pix of the Ophiothrix purpurea? I'll see you one of those, and raise you an Ophiarachna incrassata.. now, put that in your pipe in smoke it!

[Laura D]

If it is that big, I am thinking it very well may have eaten your wrasses.

Don't flasher wrasses sleep in holes in the live rock? Like little sitting ducks for brittle stars?

I would put that guy in the sump.

[seamaiden]

Indeed, they do and they are.

[Unarce]

, got any pix of the Ophiothrix purpurea? I'll see you one of those, and raise you an Ophiarachna incrassata.. now, put that in your pipe in smoke it!

I quickly referenced the one on Marine Depot Live. It's probably the wrong name:

http://www.marinedepotlive.com/1303594.html

I'm sure this is the one you're referring to. The purpurea aren't nearly as robust.

[knucklehead]

You think it would be alright in a sump with a bare bottom and some live rock??

Actually from everything I have read the green one is the one to watch out for, that is why I bought this one. It has grown a bunch over the last year, it does a great job keeping the sand in its corner of the tank clean. I am going to say it is at least 12 inches across, that is a guess as I never get to see the whole thing at once. Man, if its what got my fishes I am p.o'd cause I really like having it in there.

Maybe tomorrow I can get a pic, it never came out far enough tonight

[knucklehead]

Oh, and it does not look like either of them. Its a whitish tan color with very fine red stripes criss crossing all over the arms. I have no idea what the body looks like, as is been hidden all this time.

Now for the real question

How do you remove one of these guys that is living under the very bottom of your rockwork? It is gonna suck mahjor if I have to take all that rock out

[Laura D]

Maybe you could tie a piece on shrimp to a rock, and place this on the bottom of your tank near where he hides at night, and see if the smell of food will lure him out of his rock and into the open where you can nab him? I say tie the food down so a fish doesn't just run off with it.

When you pick him up you may have the joy of experiencing why they are called "brittle" stars.

I think he will be fine in the sump with a piece of live rock. Just make sure you toss him a bit of food now and then, as I bet what falls down to your sump is not enough to sustain a guy as big as he.

[Unarce]

Yeah, it shouldn't be too difficult to entice him with a piece of shrimp that way. Especially when the lights are off.

[seamaiden]

This is why I say just be safe and stay away from brittle stars altogether, Bry. In any event, any starfish over a foot across is likely an animal to be reckoned with.

[knucklehead]

This morning I come down and look at the tank, and Its out. Totally out from under its hole. So I turned the lights on, and go to get my camera--and remember I left it in a boat at work yesterday. grrrrr


anyway, I measured a tentacle that is sticking straight out (all the others are all curled as it is trying to be as small as possible in a corner to avoid the light) and the one tentacle is 8" long from the tip to the edge of the body. That makes the thing at least 16" across. the body is in between the size of a Quarter and a half dollar, but it is way way way thicker than it was when I put it in the tank. It looks like its almost 3/4" thick.

As for the color, I got the description pretty good, white background with red pinstripes in a crisscross pattern

Let me tell ya something, he is beautiful, I am not sure I can part with him

[seamaiden]

Just give him his own little place, feed him his own food.

<SMACK!>

[knucklehead]

Well, here it is, I got a good pic of it tonight. Because of the fact that I never clean the coraline off of the corner he is in, you can only see parts of him.

Man, what a mohonstor



I really am having trouble deciding to get rid of him, he is an awesome member of my tank, and a beautiful specimen.

Now, my sump is only 20 gallon, and there is a ton of flow through it, plus its bare bottomed with only a couple fragments of live rock. So, sure that would be a good home??? I really do NOT want to hurt him

(I am turning into such a bloody enviromentalist)

[knucklehead]

And here is the same Pic but cropped so the details stand out

Man I love my camera

[knucklehead]

Hey look what I found

directly under the body in the first pic is a wittle tiny baby brittlestar

how cool

at least somebody is getting some around here

hehehe

[cdeakle]

That is a beautiful specimen, gorgeous.

Can you consider setting up a species only tank for him?

now, put that in your pipe in smoke it!

Good advice SM, I will go do that right now HeHe