Red Brittle Starfish, Brittle Starfish

Welcome, please sign in

MY ACCOUNT |

MY CART

[ 0 ITEM ]

Clean-Up Crews

Anemones

Clams

Crabs

Cucumbers

Feather Dusters / Worms

Lobsters

Scallops

Sea Slugs / Nudibranchs

Shrimp

Snails

Sponge

Starfish

Urchins

Misc. Invertebrates

You are here: Home » Invertebrates » Starfish » Red Brittle Starfish

more images

Red Brittle Starfish

Scientific Name

Ophiocoma spp.

Reef Compatible

With Caution

Care Level

Intermediate

Disposition

Semi-aggressive

Minimum Tank Size

50 gallons

Mature Size

10 inches

Placement in tank

Any

Diet

Carnivore

Range

Western Atlantic, Caribbean

Size Class

view chart

Curator's Note

This animal requires a long, slow drip acclimation period of no less than 2-1/2 hours in order to properly adjust to the parameters in your new aquarium. It requires the aquarium to maintain a salinity of 1.025 ppm. Lower salinities will shorten the life of this animal and incorrect acclimation procedures will void the livestock guarantee.

Other Common Names

Brittle Starfish

Description

Brittle Stars are excellent detrivores and will keep excessive detritus from building up. They like to stay in caves and and other dark places. These animals can be relatively fast, but grow rapidly with regular feedings and become extremely large, so it should be introduced to a large aquarium that is no less than 50 gallons.

Diet

Feed the Brittle Starfish meaty foods including mussel, clam, raw table shrimp, and silversides. Brittle Stars will eat anything that the other aquarium inhabitants consume. Best to feed at least once a day, every other day at the least. As long as the central disc is meaty in appearance, the Brittle Star can be considered well fed. Predatory hunting may occur if animal is not fed enough.