serpent star vs brittle star for fowlr cleaner crew?

jasonkola · 03/30/2006, 08:20 PM

Hi I am buying me some cleaning crew for my fowlr. I have read that searpent stars and brittle stars are good as getting in some of the small crevises in the rockwork to clean the bottom of the tank of deritus and left over food ect. which is better? which is more hardy. from what I have read I think the searpant star is more hardy but the brittle star is better at scavenging. but I have read that the brittle star will sometimes capture and eat fish when they are sleeping. is there one that wont do this. this possibility is making me lean tword the searpant star as I have read nothing like this about them. as for as the specific searpant star I am looking at getting it is listed as Ophiopderma sp. and the brittle star is listed Ophothrix fragilis. these are just cheap ones I have found for sale. if others might be more desireable I am open to suggestions. thanks.

HippieFish · 03/30/2006, 08:25 PM

I would suggest staying away from the green brittle stars, they are the ones most likely to capture fish.

jasonkola · 03/30/2006, 09:28 PM

thanks I have read that too. but I have read other brittle stars sometimes do it too.

Salamander · 03/30/2006, 09:47 PM

I had a brittle that used to eat a bunch of snails. Had a pile of shells next to his lair...

My serpent star has been with me for years and is a model citizen. I do feed it some meaty pieces occasionally to ensure that it gets enough food.

jasonkola · 03/30/2006, 09:55 PM

thanks for that info. so far the searpent seems the best choice. any more input would be great. thanks

HippieFish · 03/30/2006, 10:33 PM

To be safe, I would stick with serpents, better to be safe than sorry.

Just my $0.02

ewaldm · 03/30/2006, 10:50 PM

You can also get serpent stars in a variety of colors which is always a plus...

03/30/2006, 08:20 PM	#1
jasonkola Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 240	serpent star vs brittle star for fowlr cleaner crew? Hi I am buying me some cleaning crew for my fowlr. I have read that searpent stars and brittle stars are good as getting in some of the small crevises in the rockwork to clean the bottom of the tank of deritus and left over food ect. which is better? which is more hardy. from what I have read I think the searpant star is more hardy but the brittle star is better at scavenging. but I have read that the brittle star will sometimes capture and eat fish when they are sleeping. is there one that wont do this. this possibility is making me lean tword the searpant star as I have read nothing like this about them. as for as the specific searpant star I am looking at getting it is listed as Ophiopderma sp. and the brittle star is listed Ophothrix fragilis. these are just cheap ones I have found for sale. if others might be more desireable I am open to suggestions. thanks.

03/30/2006, 09:47 PM	#4
Salamander Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Flagstaff, Arizona Posts: 2,103	I had a brittle that used to eat a bunch of snails. Had a pile of shells next to his lair... My serpent star has been with me for years and is a model citizen. I do feed it some meaty pieces occasionally to ensure that it gets enough food. __________________ I feel more like myself now than I did before. Current Tank Info: 120g mixed reef, 2 x 250W DE MH, 2 x 54w T5, MSX 200 SKimmer, 2 Koralia 4's, 40g fuge/sump, QT

03/30/2006, 10:50 PM	#7
ewaldm Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Watertown, SD Posts: 217	You can also get serpent stars in a variety of colors which is always a plus... __________________ Michael Ewald Current Tank Info: 35g 110 Watt PCs, BakPak Skimmer converted Refugium, Mostly Soft and LPS Corals, few sps corals

03/30/2006, 08:25 PM	#2
HippieFish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 102	I would suggest staying away from the green brittle stars, they are the ones most likely to capture fish.

03/30/2006, 09:28 PM	#3
jasonkola Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 240	thanks I have read that too. but I have read other brittle stars sometimes do it too.

03/30/2006, 09:55 PM	#5
jasonkola Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 240	thanks for that info. so far the searpent seems the best choice. any more input would be great. thanks

03/30/2006, 10:33 PM	#6
HippieFish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 102	To be safe, I would stick with serpents, better to be safe than sorry. Just my $0.02