Octopus or Star

[allenjj]

Today while breaking up the cheato in my refugium, I found a cool creature that appeared to be about a 3 inch white and black banded star or octopus which quickly retreated to undisturbed cheato and went hiding again. I only got a quick glimpse of him, but am excited in this case that I may have had a hitch hiker that I didnt get rid of which is not problematic.

 

[FlexLuthor]

highly doubt its a octopus, sounds like some sort of brittle star

 

[ming]

highly doubt its a octopus, sounds like some sort of brittle star

1+

 

[Imbarrie]

Check when the lights are off. Use a red light.


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[e.muehlbauer]

Has to be a brittle star....if only because an octopus would have escaped by now.

 

[allenjj]

Likely a star but have to see it again

I agree that it is probably a brittle star, but it moved more like I have seen octopus move when I found it in a mass of cheato. It brought all of its legs together and pulses backwards into more grass. Will try to get a pic of it and will look later using the red light. I have a large black brittle star (approximately 22inches in diameter) in my show tank.

 

[masterswimmer]

highly doubt its a octopus, sounds like some sort of brittle star

+2

 

[allenjj]

More creatures

I just went through more of the cheato and found several more creatures that are varying sizes but all with the same white and black bands. Each appears to rapidly bring its appendages together and move back into the relative protection of the algae. Each one that I found moved way too fast to get a pic, but Im not excited to think maybe my large brittle star reproduced. Are they asexual?

 

[allenjj]

Banded Brittle Stars

After searching and finding more of them, went searching for banded brittle stars and seems that I have a few that have reproduced several times with a variety of sizes in my refugium. Also learned that my large black brittle star may be the cause of my snails disappearing. Even though he appears to eat well, I could not figure out what was eating all the snails until now. Several of the banded brittle stars appear to have more then 5 legs, but one source I found says that is not uncommon, which is why I initially thought I might be seeing a octopus. Very cool little creatures, but now I am wondering how many my system will support and if I want to keep that many predators in the system.