[cinnys_garden]

How can remove my star without removing the contents of the tank, which include some 60# of LR and anenomes? Best suggestions?

[Reefland]

Hi cinnys garden, Welcome to Reefland!

I'm afraid that the commercially available traps aren't very effective, sometimes you win, most of the time you loose. The best bet for you is probably going to be to remove the rock.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by cinnys_garden

How can remove my star without removing the contents of the tank, which include some 60# of LR and anenomes? Best suggestions?

What kind of serpent star is it and how big is it and why do you want to remove it?

[cinnys_garden]

Originally Posted by Ninong

What kind of serpent star is it and how big is it and why do you want to remove it?

Not exactly sure of any more of a description (I looked on the web and found a pic of what he looks like: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...D%26ie%3DUTF-8 )

His body is about quarter sized, his legs maybe 4". I have 3 BTAs and will soon be returning my QT'd fish, which include a neon dottyback who loves to hide in the rocks. I've read horror stories of hungry brittle and serpent stars eating not only sleeping fish, but anenomes as well. I think I'd just sleep better knowing he wasn't in there.

[Ninong]

It is true that many sea stars can pose risks in reef tanks but not all of them are equally risky. I have a very nice reddish banded serpent star that has been very well behaved.

The one that is known to often pose problems is the Atlantic green brittle star (Ophiarachna incrassata). That is one that I wouldn't want in my tank. http://images.google.com/images?q=Op...=Google+Search

Unless you witness it engaging in aggressive behavior, maybe you should let it stay in the tank?

[Sueet]

Originally Posted by cinnys_garden

Not exactly sure of any more of a description (I looked on the web and found a pic of what he looks like: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...D%26ie%3DUTF-8 )

His body is about quarter sized, his legs maybe 4". I have 3 BTAs and will soon be returning my QT'd fish, which include a neon dottyback who loves to hide in the rocks. I've read horror stories of hungry brittle and serpent stars eating not only sleeping fish, but anenomes as well. I think I'd just sleep better knowing he wasn't in there.

Typically the maroon ones are not a problem, only the green ones that look alot like that. And... I keep 2 green brittles in one of my tanks, I hand feed them, and they have never bothered my fish. If you want to catch one, you could probably take a piece of food, probably like maybe a piece of shrimp... put it by its arm, and when it wraps its arm around the food, pull it out. (this of course assuming that you pull this maneuver in an area where it can't grab onto rocks on both sides and make you feel silly) I have 2 maroon brittles in one of my other tanks, with a number of small fish, and have yet to have a problem... I've even seen one of the stars touch a passing fish and pull back, presumably because it was moving? Whatever you do, if you do end up removing it, please take it to a lfs or something, don't just kill it *please* (Oh, and don't expose it to air when removing it either, that will kill it!)

[cinnys_garden]

Thanks for your suggestions - and hearing that the maroon is typically safer than the green star helps ease my nerves. Last night (deep in the evening with a flashlight) I observed my star touching a rose BTAs through a rock hold. He gently touched it, then pulled back after a few tries - I'm assuming the BTA gave him a little sting?

I'll keep him - and keep a close eye on him. I'll be adding my pair of clownfish (gold band maroon) in another two weeks, along with my neon dottyback. It wasn't so much the clowns I was worried about, but a sleeping dotty.

[By the way - if I were to remove him, I would definitely take him back to the LFS. Even problem children deserve a chance ]