Tiny Starfish

[cobray]

I just noticed that I have many of these tiny starfish living in my sandbed. They look like brittle stars and have five legs. Any ideas if they're good or bad?

[Wiskey]

My friend has those, I wish I did, they are really cool.

Whiskey

[Mrs Smith]

I just love these. They're so cute!

I don't get to use the word "cute" very often when reefing, but yep, these are cute. And they're good as far as I know.

Danielle

[Nyles]

I have them and they don't harm anything, the fish eat them here and there but there is always a few arround. I say good.

[jdbassin]

I have them, They're harmless and beneficial.


jd

[cobray]

Thanks, the look really cool. Sometimes I see them INSIDE of the base rock. Their little legs stick out. Does anyone know how big they get and if they are related to the brittle stars?

[jdbassin]

they are brittle stars, i forget the scientific name but will look it up later.


jd

[jdbassin]

i have some that get to about 3/4" across and another that get to about 1 1/2-2". the larger ones have more color, the little ones are white/grey


jd

[tiburon]

yeah - everything I have read about those ultra-tiny brittle stars says they are beneficial.

[Scyre]

I had a couple of those that would follow the same path along a piece of live rock completely covered in coraline algae. Over the course of 3-4 weeks I started noticing trails of non-purple. After that I took them out with a pair of tweezers. I know a friend has had a similar problem, he has about 50 of them though in a 15 gallon.

What do I know though, could have been something else. My goby would always pick at it and spew it out, the star once with through a powerhead, don't know how that worked.

LS