Green Brittle Starfish, Brittle Sea Star

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 » Green Brittle Starfish

more images

Green Brittle Starfish

Scientific Name

Ophiarachna incrassata

Reef Compatible

With Caution

Care Level

Beginner

Disposition

Semi-aggressive

Minimum Tank Size

50 gallons

Mature Size

18 inches

Placement in tank

Any

Diet

Carnivore

Range

Indo-Pacific, Bali

Size Class

view chart

Curator's Note

In spite of the Green Brittle Stars reputation for catching gobies or small slow moving fishes, the advantage to having them outweighs the possible problems. The reported problem behavior is less likely to happen providing they are actually kept well fed. Feeding them will keep them from hunting.

Other Common Names

Brittle Sea Star

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.