Excessive amounts of micro brittle starfish

[((FORDTECH))]

Hello I’ve been noticing for awhile now when changing my filter sock that there has been a huge amount of micro brittle starfish inside it. Also I see then a lot in the tank but nothing compared to the sock. I was wondering is this a good or bad thing? I’m thinking bad but yet I beleive I’ve read that they are great scavengers but when I say a lot I mean a lot of them. Any info on this subject would be great and also I will try to attach pics and a short video.

 

[Rmckoy]

I went through this a few years ago .
it was almost like my system went from having tons of pods to these brittle star fish ,
It’s passed And I’m back to having tons or pods in my filter cloth again but I have no idea why .

 

[badluckman]

Wow, that's a lot of starfish! How long does it take to get filled up like that?

 

[Tamberav]

Bet you could sell those!

 

[Lasse]

Bet you could sell those!

Exactly - you have a brittle starfish farm:p IMO - they are excellent CUC. I´m not sure - but somewhere in my mind a thought that they are filtrating animals shows up.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[alton]

Micro brittle stars are like bristle worms. If you have too many you are feeding way too much. The good part about micro brittle stars they do not sting like bristle worms!

 

[Miller535]

I need to pick my jaw up off of the ground after watching that video.

 

[Miller535]

Micro brittle stars are like bristle worms. If you have too many you are feeding way too much. The good part about micro brittle stars they do not sting like bristle worms!

I would be inclined to think this is true. Imo things only reproduce as readily as the available food source they have. Although it's possible maybe part of a new tank syndrome. When my tank was new, it EXPLODED with pineapple sponges

 

[ramboisreal]

I’d buy some off of you if you’re looking to sell some. Probably would have to ship them. Let me know.

 

[monti mike]

Ha! Sell some to me! :p

 

[dohc97]

Right there with everyone else, I want some if you are willing to ship. Back in the day we use to ship zoa's in thermos via regular mail....

 

[Katrina71]

Heck, I'd sell them!

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Hello everyone thanks for all the responses. The info is kinda what I already Thought. I suspected the excess is from over feeding. My tank is not new it been running about 7 years now. I would totally be interested in selling these but would have no idea how to even do that. I live in Chicago to bad none of you are close enough to pick buy and pick them up. It does take couple weeks for sock to get filled like that. I’m sure I should be cleaning it more often.

 

[Miller535]

Hello everyone thanks for all the responses. The info is kinda what I already Thought. I suspected the excess is from over feeding. My tank is not new it been running about 7 years now. I would totally be interested in selling these but would have no idea how to even do that. I live in Chicago to bad none of you are close enough to pick buy and pick them up. It does take couple weeks for sock to get filled like that. I’m sure I should be cleaning it more often.

Does everything else with the tank look ok?

Welcome to Reef2reef by the way. Just realized you're new.

 

[Lasse]

Hello everyone thanks for all the responses. The info is kinda what I already Thought. I suspected the excess is from over feeding. My tank is not new it been running about 7 years now. I would totally be interested in selling these but would have no idea how to even do that. I live in Chicago to bad none of you are close enough to pick buy and pick them up. It does take couple weeks for sock to get filled like that. I’m sure I should be cleaning it more often.

If they not are filtrates - you have probably invent self cleaning socks - however it is so effective that the biomass of the cleaners mess it up in the end :p

I have this type of brittle stars in my aquarium. I know that my yellow wrasses can eat them if they can catch them. Another animal tat I know eat them is a shrimp the Harlequin shrimp

Sincerely Lasse

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I thought that most inverts do not create a bio load.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Yes everything else with tank looks ok. I’ve never really had great success tho with my corals. In the end I’m sure it’s due to over feeding for years and years

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I have a steady phosphate level of .2-.3 and 20-25 nitrates

 

[Miller535]

I thought that most inverts do not create a bio load.

Some people say they don't. When really they do, it's just not as much as fish. All animals still poop.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

It’s like that kids book everybody poops