Seastar baby?

[kobibm13]

I have 2 type of sea stars in my reef. one is always out and happy the other hides and for a long time I was sure it was dead. I see it from time to time and this morning I can across this in the rock bed (where I have many brine shrimp and pods growing).

This looks like the big sea star that hides all the time so I assume he reproduced? Should I leave it as it or take any special actions?

A video of it moving:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_2RlAGq3xPMNnY4ZHl3eFBjdVE/view?usp=sharing

 

[reefwiser]

Serpent Starfish good cleaning crew member they will clean up food and dead items in the tank.

 

[DeniseAndy]

They are not babies. They stay tiny like that. They are great for the tank and will multiply like crazy. When you feed, you will see all the tentacles hanging out of rocks and such.

 

[kobibm13]

Thanks

I have exact same one but X10 bigger. Bought him few months back. How can it be that the small one is the size?

 

[DeniseAndy]

F yours is 10x it is a different species. Same common name as serpent star, but the tiny ones stay tiny. For instance I have a huge red serpent in my tank too. This thing is easily 12" end to end. But I have hundreds if not thousands of these little guys. All "serpent stars", but all different species.

 

[kobibm13]

ok good to know. They look the same the big and the small and very different from my sand sifting starfish.

Where did the small guy came from then? I only bought the 2 big ones

 

[DeniseAndy]

They appear from rockwork, corals added, live sand, anywhere. They could have been a tiny leg on a coral or rock or live sand you added. They will multiply.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Of course, I could be totally wrong and it is a baby of the large ones. However, ime they are the little brittle stars that are part of standard clean up crew.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I agree is a micro brittle star.

 

[tonto95]

If you feed reef snow or reef frenzy you will be able to see little arms sticking out from the rock work. It will surprise you how many are in your tank. I have found them in the sump and circulation pumps.

 

[donnievaz]

I pull them out of my chaeto every time I remove it from the fuge.

 

[revhtree]

Aren't reef tanks so cool?!

 

[seastar]

This is a seastar baby!

 

[Lionfish Lair]

LOL! That's a beautiful Seastar Baby. Man I miss my job!

 

[seastar]

LOL! That's a beautiful Seastar Baby. Man I miss my job!

Hehehe, she was born in June. This post was too tempting not to share :)

Reef tanks are so amazing, and I'm definitely add some brittle stars for that added bit to get to look out for in the tank.

 

[revhtree]

Beautiful little frag you made there!