Brittle stars waving their tentacles up

guric1van · 02/02/2020, 10:18 PM

Yesterday when working on my tank, I saw some weird behaviour I have never seen before – all the brittle stars in my tank (dozens and dozens of them) started to wave their tentacles in the water (while the lights are still on). Looked like Aiptasia at first, but on closer inspection, their body was hiding from the light, but tentacles out. Anyone seen this before? Is this a sign of anything? Were they trying to catch something in the water stream? I probably loosened the substrate in the fuge, so maybe they could smell something?

Oldreeferman · 02/02/2020, 11:48 PM

Yep, they smell dinner from the messing about with the substrate, seen that many times in my tank after doing that also. Totally normal.

MondoBongo · 02/04/2020, 09:40 AM

yeah, this happens. one other thing i've experienced from time to time is their mass spawning event.

sometimes after a large water change, the brittles will come out of the wood work, everywhere, spawn, then vanish again in to their crevices. it's quite a thing to behold.

Misled · 02/04/2020, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MondoBongo

it's quite a thing to behold.

Yep, quite the awesome event IMO.

02/02/2020, 10:18 PM	#1
guric1van Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 23	Brittle stars waving their tentacles up Yesterday when working on my tank, I saw some weird behaviour I have never seen before – all the brittle stars in my tank (dozens and dozens of them) started to wave their tentacles in the water (while the lights are still on). Looked like Aiptasia at first, but on closer inspection, their body was hiding from the light, but tentacles out. Anyone seen this before? Is this a sign of anything? Were they trying to catch something in the water stream? I probably loosened the substrate in the fuge, so maybe they could smell something?

02/02/2020, 11:48 PM	#2
Oldreeferman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: NW Indiana Valparaiso Posts: 505	Yep, they smell dinner from the messing about with the substrate, seen that many times in my tank after doing that also. Totally normal. __________________ Montipora Digitas, Cyphastrea, Blastos, different Leptoseris, Green Stylo, GSP, gorgonions, Ricordea mushrooms, psammocoras, Birdsnest coral, Clownfish, Watchman goby, Royal gamma. Current Tank Info: Nano Reef tank

02/04/2020, 09:40 AM	#3
MondoBongo Obligate Feeder Obsessed Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,061	yeah, this happens. one other thing i've experienced from time to time is their mass spawning event. sometimes after a large water change, the brittles will come out of the wood work, everywhere, spawn, then vanish again in to their crevices. it's quite a thing to behold. __________________ [Citation Needed] "You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right" - xkcd Current Tank Info: A rectangular shaped money pit.