Black brittle star...
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Invertebrates
Forum Description: This is the place to ask questions about invertebrates.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=30812
Printed Date: July 28 2025 at 12:58pm
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Topic: Black brittle star...
Posted By: Nano_Reefer
Subject: Black brittle star...
Date Posted: January 14 2009 at 11:17pm
Has any one ever heard or seen these eat coral?  This coral is the brownish orange Digitata, or it was. It had polyps, and was growing. I came home today to find it like this with the brittle star all over it. |
Replies:
Posted By: Cameron
Date Posted: January 14 2009 at 11:20pm
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It is probably just irritating it ------------- [COLOR="Red"](801)664-4240 |
Posted By: tazman1982
Date Posted: January 14 2009 at 11:25pm
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Not to my knowladge. I assume It just pissed it off. Mine does it to my zoos all the time. ------------- 75 Reef 55 Reef |
Posted By: Nano_Reefer
Date Posted: January 14 2009 at 11:33pm
| It is pretty weird, I scare him off and he comes right back and just wraps around it. Nothing else is having this problem. I guess I will keep an eye on my corals and if he starts on anything else I will cut his legs off and throw him to the dogs. |
Posted By: tazman1982
Date Posted: January 14 2009 at 11:36pm
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LOL! ------------- 75 Reef 55 Reef |
Posted By: Nano_Reefer
Date Posted: January 15 2009 at 2:07pm
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UPDATE!!! It seems to be gone. After the lights went out, I also saw my peppermint shrimp on it. I have no Idea what could have happened.  |
Posted By: BrandonA
Date Posted: January 15 2009 at 8:13pm
| That's weird, I NEVER see my brittle star when the lights are on in the day. He only comes out at night. |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: January 15 2009 at 9:25pm
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Great picture of the brittle star.
Mike -------------  |
Posted By: Bluespotjawfish
Date Posted: January 15 2009 at 9:30pm
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It probably died for some other reason and the brittle star was cleaning up. ------------- Home of the baby Picasso! |
Posted By: Nano_Reefer
Date Posted: January 15 2009 at 10:25pm
It died suddenly then, because it was fine yesterday morning, and there is no other deaths. |
Bluespotjawfish wrote:Posted By: Will Spencer
Date Posted: January 16 2009 at 12:14am
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Corals can go really fast when they die. These stars are usually scavengers, but some of them do hunt. Hunt corals though? I'm skeptical, but if the coral were dying these stars would certainly take advantage, just a a shrimp would.
Whateven happened, it's too bad. Looks like it was just getting a nice start.
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: January 16 2009 at 9:47am
I agree with Will and Bluespotjawfish. The thin membrane of flesh that is an SPS coral can be gone in a few hours, even in a healthy tank. Stars, except for the Crown of Thorns, are scavengers. Do you have other Montipora? Watch them for signs of stress and if the coral appears just fine but the Sea Star seems to have it's stomach extended over it then you know it's eating. There is a chance that Sea Star is related to the Crown of Thorns Sea Star  or not getting enough food in that tank so has picked up a liking for coral. Also, leave that coral skeleton alone and don't be surprised when you see a little spot of Montipora come back. Within a few months it could grow to completely cover the old skeleton.  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: Chad
Date Posted: February 02 2009 at 5:15pm
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I agree I think it probably died to some other cause and the dying coral attracted the starfish to the coral rather then the star eating or killing the coral and like Mark said a lot of times if left alone monti's will come back. ------------- What?! You pooped in the refrigerator, and ate the entire wheel of cheese?! I'm not even mad.... That's actually amazing! |
Posted By: Nano_Reefer
Date Posted: February 02 2009 at 7:25pm
| I think the coral in the upper left of the picture gassed it or something. It may be taking over real estate kind of like the government does. eliminate and move in. The coral is still dead. |
Posted By: Andreason
Date Posted: February 03 2009 at 3:20pm
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The other corals in the pic look like acans and frogspawn, both of which extend sweeper tentacles. They easily could have killed their neighbor. I don't think it will come back, if it does it will just get stung again and die. ------------- Andreason's |