Spiny Brittle Stars
From Microcosm Aquarium Explorer
A valuable addition to a reef aquarium “cleanup” crew. Larry P. Tackett
[edit] Overview
These brittle stars need to be well nourished. In underfed tanks, they will not receive sufficient food, the arm tips will start to “erode,” and eventually they will starve to death.
They have a small central disc; the five arms look too big for the central disc. Arms have large, narrow, sharp spines on their sides. Typically gray, tan or mottled combinations of gray, tan, brown and black.
Family: Ophiactidae
Other common name(s):
Native range:
Maximum length: 15 cm (6 in)
Minimum aquarium size: 190 L (50 gal)
Lighting: Immaterial.
Water: Marine 24 °C (297 K, 75 °F) - 28 °C (301 K, 82 °F)
[edit] Feeding
Beneficial scavengers on detritus; predatory on some bottom-dwelling animals.
[edit] Aquarium Compatibility
Good aquarium animals. May occasionally capture and eat an unwary or “sleeping” fish. Crustaceans may attack them.
[edit] Special Care
Need sufficient food or they will starve to death.
[edit] Notes
These brittle stars live under rocks during the day and forage at night. They often remain in a crevice or cave and collect food with their arms, which extend out over the aquarium surfaces.
| Common name | Spiny Brittle Stars + |
| Family | Ophiactidae + |
| Genus | Ophiactis + |
| Image credit | LPT + |
| Lighting | Immaterial. + |
| Maximum length | 6 in + |
| Minimum aquarium size | 50 gal + |
| Native range | Tropical Seas + |
| Reference | A PocketExpert Guide to Marine Invertebrates + |
| Specific name | spp. + |
| Text credit | RLS + |
| Water max temp | 301 K (28 °C, 82 °F) + |
| Water min temp | 297 K (24 °C, 75 °F) + |
| Water type | Marine + |