Feeding my brittle star

[Allyson]

My husband bought some clams, shrimp & mussels to cook for our New Years Eve Party so when I get home I was going to smush some up for my brittle star.....will he come out when he "smells" the food or do I need to try to find him? How much do I put in the tank?

The surviving was last seen roaming yesterday morning...his buddy (or what's left of him) moved to the back of the tank and is MIA. There are two arms at the front of the tank still moving around. I'll leave those in hope they regenerate but I'm figuring I should find his body (if indeed he's a gonner) so it's decompisition doesn't cause an ammonia spike.

[MontanaRocknReefer]

When I drop food in the reef for my green brittle star, he comes out lightning quick and gets its food and vanishes again into the LR.
My star is quite large and feed him a chunk about the size of a quarter which can be raw shrimp, scallop, clam, krill or spirulina discs(100% vegetable food) and this last him for a day or two. Here is a pic of him:

[Allyson]

So I don't mush it just chop it? The disc of mine is a little smaller then a quarter with an arm span of about 6 ".

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Hi Allyson! I just cut off a chunk and target feed the brittle and I am sure the mush will work as well. Johnny

[JDVC]

Allyson--

I have a green brittle just like Johnny and feed it the exact same way (per his advice) And just like Johnny says.. he flies out whenever I drop the food in. Very fun to watch!!

-John

[beach bum]

Hi Anix, I just spear it on a skewer to target feed my stars, otherwise the other fish will get dibs on it cause the stars can be slow. just make sure it is small enough that he can swallow it whole. I love it, it's like feeding an octopus they way they grab food, escpecially when realllllly hungry.

[GaryG]

You don't need to mush it for the brittle stars. In fact I think they would prefer it whole (the mush is good for the corals). I use feeding tongs and put a chunk of shrimp next to where I think he is and he sends a couple of arms out to pull it in.

[JJG]

...like Gary said. I dice up small chunks of cocktail shrimp. Fun to watch when the little one plays monkey with a banana in reverse. Star stays in the rocks, reaches out and grabs a chunk of shrimp and then can't pull it's arm with the shrimp back through the hole. Doesn't want to let go either....
JJ