Brittle star got caught in the act hunting

Holt crap.. My girlfriend and I just bought 4 golden Jacks all about 3" in length for $25 a piece.. SOOO tonight I came home from work an my girl said that one of the 4 jacks is away from the school hanging in the corner.. i said it's sleeping all the lights are off except the night led's. So she says no the fish is hyperventalating (LOL). I said ok I will look. I saw him in the corner and then went for the flash light. Came back and he was not there. looked around the tank and saw sand and legs thrashing around in between rocks. i lite it up with the flash lite and my Brittle star (I think, its dark with black strips and thorns) had attacked the Jack and was attacking him like an octopus and then dragged him back into the rocks, I thried to hit the star and free the Jack with a cleaner rob but basically said "It's mine now" and there was nothing I could do.. Now thinking back we have missed 2-3 damsels figuring they just died off.. Do I have a homicidal maniac in my tank? Should I fish out the star and get rid of it.. So far he has cost me a brand new Jack $25.. Is there a way to feed him and control his murdering habits? maybe buy some feeder gold fish or something?

 

Gosh... Sounds scary... Sorry for your loss...!

 

Harlequin that little bugger! Well...maybe that would be rash. That does sound terrifying though. How big was it? If it is costing you that much I would try to get it out. $25 is not fun to see eaten.

 

I would try to out him, you dont want to see one of your prize fish fall victom to his murderous ways

 

Ummm, don't know if Harlequin's will eat a brittle star.

Might even be vice versa depending on size of shrimp and star. :-/

Catch the starfish and return to LFS for credit to replace the Jack...

 

That type of Brittle Star will grow to a large size! They are also piscivores, especially the Emerald Green Brittle!!! Highly opportunistic scavengers that perform a great service by eating detritus, uneaten food stuff and decaying matter, but don't count these guys out from trapping and consuming small fish. I have lost three Royal Gramma's over the past year due to my star.
I have not lost anymore fish, even my yellow clown goby and small peppermint shrimp have not been touched for a year or so. The beneficial properties employed with the housing of a Sea Star, prohibits me from riding my tank of these interesting, often times cryptic and attractive invertebrates, however.
Sorry to hear about the loss of your Jack!

 

I won't ever have another one. I have had them to eat my fish and many many a clam..I will keep the little mini's I guess they are called and a Linika and thats about all I want of any star fish

 

I have a black and white one that i feed mysis and hermit food, I believe they mostly only catch sick or weak fish. so i would say either make sure you feed it or get rid of it.

 

Feeding has little to do with ot really a Brittle star is a iffy animals I've had them and never had a problem and I have had them and they will et what they catch. As for feed a Brittle star ? I've never known anyone to specially feed them. They are there to eat non eaten food. But like with any Crab they are all opportunistic feeders ..I don't trust any crab of any type and only star's I'd have in a reef is a linika ..

Now that being said e have the single largest Green Brittle star I have ever seen in a huge tub and its full of our parent coral colony's and many Clams and its never bothered anything and It has to be 12inches from its 1.5 body to the tip of its tentacles..

 

I have had a Brittle Star for around 5 yrs and have never seen or had it even mess with my pepermint shrimp or any of the fish. This one that I have is about 15" from the center. I got him when he was around 8".