Mixing and matching starfish?

[Brickster]

I have a big black Brittle Star in my 40B, and I'm curious to know if any other starfish can be housed in the same tank. Will brittle stars tolerate each other? How about serpent stars? I've been googling away, but I can't seem to find the answer. The LFS's tend towards no, although they house them together regularly. Anybody know for sure?

[jcnkt_ellis]

I would worry about not enough food for the stars if you get too many that have the same basic niche more than comparability as some of them will become opportunistic predators if hungry enough. As far as compatibility, I have two serpent stars and two sand shifting stars in my 150 and they leave each other alone.

[polarbear]

Im about to put both of my brittle star fish into the main tank. They are in the refugium now. Have you had any problems with your serpent stars going after fish?

[jcnkt_ellis]

I haven't had an issue with my serpant stars, but have read on forums with issues concerning brittle stars, and not just the green morph.

[polarbear]

what were the issues if you remember?

[jcnkt_ellis]

Google "brittle stars eating fish" Generally, if the "non-fish eaters" are hungry enough they too will turn to predation like their green relatives, which brings me back to my main point, if you are not specifically target feeding both brittle stars, especially as they get bigger, a 40 breeder probably does not have enough detritus for both of them to live off of. They will be competing with each other and various other members of your cleanup crew and may turn to predation if they are not 'full.'

[Brickster]

Wow! Thanks for the replies! So there has been about a month since the original post, and I did pick up a second brittle a couple of weeks ago. Based on the replies I feel pretty good about that. This tank has messy inverts that like meaty food. I wanted brittle #2 to help clean up. Since there is a mantis in the tank, most of the traditional options are out. The rock is also literally crawling with pods, which I am sure that brittle can sweep up when they get too close. Between the rocks, the seaweed and the food constantly raining from the sky it's a pretty swanky house if you're a starfish.

@Polarbear: brittles can and do eat fish. The greens will do it just because, but all of them will take down Nemo before they starve. Don't let them fool you when they just sit there. They can move very, very quickly.