aznmajik

Experienced Reefer
Location
Brooklyn NY
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33   0   0
I know in general some Brittle Stars are good for the tank. However, I just had this happen. I've never seen my tank OVERRUN with brittle stars. I think they're reproducing or something, which is obviously a problem. I'm not sure how starfish reproduce, but I witnessed some of them shooting 'sperm' out into the water.



Anyone have any ideas? These bristle stars are starting to overrun all of my corals. They're nearly impossible to remove also since they just remove their arms.
 

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rhdoug

Experienced Reefer
Rating - 0%
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The population should even out in time. Unless they are hurting something I wouldn't stress over it, they are cool and helpful animals in the reef tank. There is something that triggered their explosion, and once it is gone they should dwindle on their own. At least that has been my experience.
 

aznmajik

Experienced Reefer
Location
Brooklyn NY
Rating - 100%
33   0   0
Well, they are all hidden in the rocks/crevasses now. It was pretty interesting though. Spectacular even. All of my corals were covered in brittle stars.

All of them were competing to get to high elevation. Which I'm assuming something triggered it. I caught a few of them releasing sperm (like this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-XaUSU4wGE). Which means, they're going to have lots of baby brittles!

Guess I'll get a maleranus wrasse then. Maybe even a pair.
 

jackson6745

SPS KILLER
Location
NJ
Rating - 99%
201   2   0
That is really cool. I never saw so many in one rock. You should collect and sell/trade them. Lot of guys would love to have them.
 

aznmajik

Experienced Reefer
Location
Brooklyn NY
Rating - 100%
33   0   0
I have harlequin. They don't attack bristle stars, just asterina.

And, Because they were spraying it from the top of their bodies. I believe poop comes out the bottom, from the mouth. Veni, would you like a sample ;)
 

LongIslandAndy

Advanced Reefer
Vendor
Location
Ronkonkoma, NY
Rating - 100%
24   0   0
Harlequin's don't eat them. Any Halichoeres wrasse will eat them. I agree with many of the other people on here they are beneficial and eat detritus and uneaten food. Not trying to be negative but you have to be overfeeding to have that many. They also seem to multiple in cycles, you will see a lot and then they disappear. I would not sweat them, in my soft coral tank (which I overfeed :) they literally reach out of the zoa colonies as soon as I put food in
 

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