How often to feed brittle & serpent stars?

[cvonseggern]

I just added a red brittle star (HUGE!) and a pair of serpent stars from Reeftopia to our 100g. I know these guys need to be spot-fed once in a while, but how often?

Thanks,

Chris

[witecap4u]

In the 2 years i've had mine, ive never fed my serpent star. He used to come out when I put food in the tank, but now he doesnt care. Im assuming he's living off the pod in the tank, or he is getting food that floats under or behind the rocks.

cs

[Yano]

I feed my brittle once a week

[Brett Wilson]

Mine gets *some* food every time I feed my fish. I've had it 3 years..
Every couple of weeks I feed mine a small chunk of mysis or krill or whatever...

[OldSalty]

Carefull, the big ones WILL eat your fish. They catch them at nite. I lost a big yellow tank i had for 10 years. I lost about 4 fish in all to a green brittle. :evil:

[Brett Wilson]

I should add that mine is a serpent star, not a brittle star...

[cvonseggern]

What I've been told is that the red brittles are less likely to prey on fish than the green. Let's hope there was some truth to that...

[Ed]

What I've been told is that the red brittles are less likely to prey on fish than the green. Let's hope there was some truth to that...

I have two red brittle stars and they have never bothered a healthy fish. If you see the star sticking an arm out and 'waving' when you feed the tank, be sure to spot feed the star - that is a sign they are hungry.

HTH.

Ed

[GaryP]

IMO, I think the green stars have gotten a bad reputation as a result of cleaning up dead or dying fish. I've never heard of a report of a green preying on a healthy fish. I'm not saying its never happened, but I have never seen it and I have had them for years.

Gary

[Markster]

I have a large green star and he comes out at night or during day when feeding. I usually drop down some shrimp pellets and he eats them right up.

[GaryP]

I feed mine an occasional table shrimp. Its cool watching him stick a leg out and wrap it up. He also does a good job of cleaning up the left overs after I feed my fish a black mussel.

Gary