White starfish like creatures living in rocks

[bluecheese]

I was just blowing out my live rock, and a bunch of these white creatures came flying out. They looked like starfish when they first came out, then rolled up in a ball once they hit the water column. This is the best picture I could get of one of them.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Likely a brittle star which is common and harmless.

 

[bluecheese]

Likely a brittle star which is common and harmless.

These things were really small. Like smaller than a penny.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Yup, it's most likely still a brittle star. Just a very small one. Penny sized for micro brittle stars is pretty common, but maybe a little bigger.

 

[bluecheese]

brittles are good, right?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

brittles are good, right?

Yup, all brittle stars are good, they feed on leftover food which is good if you overfeed. I always like to see them, so I love them, but if you don't like them you can feed a little less, and usually, some will die off. Make sure you know your tank first before doing that because you don't want to underfeed your fish.

 

[kevgib67]

brittles are good, right?

Absolutely, the eat detritus and left over food, I bought them for my tank.

 

[bluecheese]

Yup, all brittle stars are good, they feed on leftover food which is good if you overfeed. I always like to see them, so I love them, but if you don't like them you can feed a little less, and usually, some will die off. Make sure you know your tank first before doing that because you don't want to underfeed your fish.

Nah, I don’t mind them. I had no idea they were in the tank until I started blowing detritus out the rocks. They can stay.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Nah, I don’t mind them. I had no idea they were in the tank until I started blowing detritus out the rocks. They can stay.

Good! They are better for your tank!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

These things were really small. Like smaller than a penny.

Baby micro brittle stars

 

[bluecheese]

So the question now, is if I should continue to blow out the rocks, or leave the starfish to do their thing in the cracks and crevices.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

So the question now, is if I should continue to blow out the rocks, or leave the starfish to do their thing in the cracks and crevices.

Either. They will find their way into other crevices...

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

You're sending them on vacation, lol

Either. They will find their way into other crevices...