Someone that has experience with serpent stars....

[tdcracing]

I bought one to put in the 29 gallon reef tank. Drip acclimated for about 2 hours. Stable conditions except for the fluctuating of SG by about a point at times.


Dropped him in the tank everything seemed fine. Watched him go behind some rocks and have not seen him since. I know they usually come out at night but I have not seen any evidence that he has come out at all (Me going in the room at night when the moon lights are on and looking several times each night and no signs in the sand that he has been moving around)


he has been in there for over a week now (If hes still alive) and I have not seen him once. Is this normal? I'm assuming if he was dead I would know about it (Pieces floating around ect....) or at least some signs that he was not living.


He does not come out at feeding or anything (Feeding meaty foods as well as a variation of other things)

[kfisc]

They can very much disappear; assume it lives and will eventually come out- if it was a fair-sized specimen, you'd also notice your tank fouling pretty fast in a 29 if it died.

[tdcracing]

It was about a 4'' star. Thanks for the reply.

[thebkramer]

I had a black serpent for 3 yrs.. only saw him twice in those 3 years!! lol
I'm sure its found a great hiding spot that he loves..

[aquaph8]

I would bet its fine. Probably under the rocks working on uneaten food. I wouldn't worry too much, they're pretty tough.

[dannytom99]

I wouldn't see mine either during the day, until i fed my corals at night, he would go crazy, but not so much with the moonlights on, try with no light(i use a red light to see in my tank at night.)

[fordguy24]

Mine comes out about once a week otherwise can never find him!

[Ron Reefman]

I have 2 bigger serpents in a 180g tank. For 2 months or more I never saw them. But as the sand gets cleaner (I added a yellow sea cucumber) the stars now come out once every 2 or 3 weeks when I feed. Mostly just an arm or 2 sticking out from under the rocks. When I see one come out, I put a chunk of shrimp, clam or silversides on the end of a wooden BBQ skewer and hold it down by the serpent's arm. If I don't do it this way, the food would never reach the sand due to hungry fish. The star will reach out, wrap an arm or 2 around the food and then I can twist the skewer while I gentle pull it up. The food comes off and the star disappears for another week or 2.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Ron Reefman

But as the sand gets cleaner (I added a yellow sea cucumber)

A bit off topic, but . . . what species of sea cucumber? I am looking for a couple for my tanks. Sorry to the OP.

[Ron Reefman]

Originally Posted by snorvich

A bit off topic, but . . . what species of sea cucumber? I am looking for a couple for my tanks. Sorry to the OP.

Steve,

I don't know the species, but I have yellow sea cucumbers that I collect in the Florida Keys. They are smallish (maybe 2-4" long) and spend most of their time under the sand. I see them on the surface maybe a day or two at a time once every 2 to 4 weeks. I have 1 in my 180g DT and 1 in my 85g anemone tank. BTW, I'm heading to the Keys next weekend... if you are interested?

Ron

[thebkramer]

Originally Posted by snorvich

A bit off topic, but . . . what species of sea cucumber? I am looking for a couple for my tanks. Sorry to the OP.

have you looked into the tigertail?? I love this cucumber.. wish I had a bigger tank to sustain it!! I had one for 3months.. but then found him climbing the glass so I knew he had ran of "goodies" Really cool critter & he was always visible in my tank..