Green serpent star is eating all my shrimp!

Ken-21 · 04/27/2006, 06:22 PM

Has anyone else ever had this happen to them? I bought three peppermint shrimp and put them in my tank and they all dove into the rock instantly,,,,,,,I never saw them again! Two weeks later I bought a Cleaner Shrimp and put him in my tank. I saw him for three days then he was gone! I have a yellow Tang, an engineer goby, two small clowns and a small yellow tail damsel, they all got along with the cleaner shrimp so that only leaves one suspect in the tank......................The Green Serpent Star!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From time to time I give him a little raw uncooked shrimp (the plot thickens) to keep him happy and full so he'll leave my fish alone but in doing so I think I made him acquire a taste for the finer foods in life! Has this happened to anyone else? Does anyone have any similar stories about their Serpent Star? I've had my serpent star for about six or seven years but I think it might be time for him to leave the reef! (90 gallon tank) People have told me that they have had some that ate their fish but mine has never bothered mine. I found a little serpent star in my sump so I put him up in my tank and the green serpent star went all the way across the tank and ate him. Talk about a keen sense of smell!

vessxpress1 · 04/27/2006, 06:58 PM

I've had shrimp disappear too. I had 3 peppermint shrimp, brought in to eat aiptasia, and 2 camel shrimp. Then one day I saw my BTA dragging a peppermint in for lunch. They all disappeared but one. The one camel shrimp suvived and I have absolutely no idea why. I've had him for about 6 months now and he's in my tank with 3 harelquin serpent stars, that have also been there the whole time.

The camel shrimp pretty much stays in the same spot all day, on the bottom, middle of the tank. It's always there and then it roams around the tank and up the glass at night. The thing's really become pretty tame. The starfish ignore it. I've even seen the antennae on it touch the BTA but they didn't stick so he's made it.

flyhigh123 · 04/27/2006, 06:59 PM

how are you acclimating the shrimp???

Maxxumless · 04/27/2006, 06:59 PM

This is a serpent star or a bristle starfish that is green? Bristle starfish are notorious for eating smaller fish and other slower animals. Peppermint shrimp, at least in my tanks are skittish and only come out every once and a while.

Henry22 · 04/27/2006, 07:03 PM

I used to have a peppermint but he hid most of the time except at feeding time.

Ken-21 · 04/27/2006, 07:06 PM

I acclimated them by a very slow drip of my tank water into the bag. The acclimation isn't the problem (My shrimp was fine for three days) I acclimate evrything the same way and never had a problem, That Green Serpent star is a very good hunter!

Ken-21 · 04/27/2006, 07:08 PM

Sorry. It's actually a Bristle star NOT a serpent star. (My mistake)

jasonkola · 04/27/2006, 07:23 PM

yes I have read that the green brittle star is notorious for eating tank mates. paticularly sleeping fish. if you have any fish disippear its probably him too.

04/27/2006, 06:22 PM	#1
Ken-21 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: On the edge of sanity Posts: 140	Green serpent star is eating all my shrimp! Has anyone else ever had this happen to them? I bought three peppermint shrimp and put them in my tank and they all dove into the rock instantly,,,,,,,I never saw them again! Two weeks later I bought a Cleaner Shrimp and put him in my tank. I saw him for three days then he was gone! I have a yellow Tang, an engineer goby, two small clowns and a small yellow tail damsel, they all got along with the cleaner shrimp so that only leaves one suspect in the tank......................The Green Serpent Star!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From time to time I give him a little raw uncooked shrimp (the plot thickens) to keep him happy and full so he'll leave my fish alone but in doing so I think I made him acquire a taste for the finer foods in life! Has this happened to anyone else? Does anyone have any similar stories about their Serpent Star? I've had my serpent star for about six or seven years but I think it might be time for him to leave the reef! (90 gallon tank) People have told me that they have had some that ate their fish but mine has never bothered mine. I found a little serpent star in my sump so I put him up in my tank and the green serpent star went all the way across the tank and ate him. Talk about a keen sense of smell!

04/27/2006, 07:03 PM	#5
Henry22 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 712	I used to have a peppermint but he hid most of the time except at feeding time. __________________ 15 Gallon Tall Reef w/ a lonely orange spotted watchman goby Current Tank Info: 15 gallon Tall Reef

04/27/2006, 06:58 PM	#2
vessxpress1 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NW IL Posts: 1,603	I've had shrimp disappear too. I had 3 peppermint shrimp, brought in to eat aiptasia, and 2 camel shrimp. Then one day I saw my BTA dragging a peppermint in for lunch. They all disappeared but one. The one camel shrimp suvived and I have absolutely no idea why. I've had him for about 6 months now and he's in my tank with 3 harelquin serpent stars, that have also been there the whole time. The camel shrimp pretty much stays in the same spot all day, on the bottom, middle of the tank. It's always there and then it roams around the tank and up the glass at night. The thing's really become pretty tame. The starfish ignore it. I've even seen the antennae on it touch the BTA but they didn't stick so he's made it.

04/27/2006, 06:59 PM	#3
flyhigh123 funky member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hacienda Heights (605 and 60 fwy) Posts: 1,893	how are you acclimating the shrimp???

04/27/2006, 06:59 PM	#4
Maxxumless To the Max... Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 2,364	This is a serpent star or a bristle starfish that is green? Bristle starfish are notorious for eating smaller fish and other slower animals. Peppermint shrimp, at least in my tanks are skittish and only come out every once and a while.

04/27/2006, 07:06 PM	#6
Ken-21 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: On the edge of sanity Posts: 140	I acclimated them by a very slow drip of my tank water into the bag. The acclimation isn't the problem (My shrimp was fine for three days) I acclimate evrything the same way and never had a problem, That Green Serpent star is a very good hunter!

04/27/2006, 07:08 PM	#7
Ken-21 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: On the edge of sanity Posts: 140	Sorry. It's actually a Bristle star NOT a serpent star. (My mistake)

04/27/2006, 07:23 PM	#8
jasonkola Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 240	yes I have read that the green brittle star is notorious for eating tank mates. paticularly sleeping fish. if you have any fish disippear its probably him too.