A Complete Guide to Serpent Starfish
One of the most popular fish in saltwater and reef aquariums is the serpent starfish. The serpent starfish and the brittle starfish look much the same and are closely related. The only real difference between them is that the serpent star has smooth arms and those on the brittle star have little spines going up and down each arm.
There are over two thousand different species of these starfish. They are completely nocturnal and they are very sensitive to light. If you add one to your aquarium, don’t be surprised if you never see him because he hides and sleeps all day. They particularly like lying under rocks but you can often see their arms sticking out from under the rock.
Facts about serpent stars
Serpent starfish have a great sense of smell. They often know food has been put into the tank even if they are well-hidden under rocks. They do not have eyes but sense smells through their feet. The serpent stars can move very fast and try to outdistance predators. They are also able to grow back their appendages so they will drop one if it is necessary for their escape.
If a serpent or brittle starfish is cut in half, it will regenerate as two separate invertebrates. For the most part, serpent and brittle stars are excellent tank cleaners, scrounging the detritus that falls to the bottom of the tank. Most serpent stars do not need a special diet, and will eat just about anything. Some are strictly carnivores and are fed clams and shrimp. Others will eat smaller fish.
Serpent starfish come in any colors--browns and tans to such bright colors as pinks, blues, oranges and reds. They can be as small as an inch to as large as two feet. This is why it’s necessary to know exactly which species you are bringing home for your tank. You don’t want to find out later that your serpent star is going to grow to have five 2-foot arms.
The fancy tiger-striped serpent starfish
There are over 1500 species of serpent starfish but most of them are not found in shallow waters. The majority are below 500 meters. Only a few species are sold for saltwater aquariums. One of the most popular of these serpent sea stars is the fancy tiger-striped.
The fancy tiger striped is easy to find at most pet shops which sell for saltwater tanks. Like all serpent starfish, they have five arms that look very spindly and come out of a round central disc. Because he has bands of red and brown colors, this invertebrate is also known as the banded serpent star.
The tiger striped serpent star is a carnivore and will eagerly clean up any meat than has made it way to the tank bottom. If you have a saltwater tank and want to get this species, make sure that you have many places where it can hide and be in the dark. The only thing that will ever move it to the light of day is food. A tasty treat of shrimp or clams might just do the trick.
If you desire this banded serpent or brittle starfish, you will need to invest in quite a large tank for the proper ecosystem. This specimen can grow to be as much as a foot across from tip to tip. It is impossible to breed one in a home aquarium.
Other living conditions for the serpent starfish call for very specific pH, salinity and oxygen levels. They do not tolerate variations well. They also should not be given any medication containing copper as this could kill them.
Overall, the fancy tiger-striped serpent sea star makes a wonderful addition to any tank. You may not see them a lot unless you are a night person, but you will undoubtedly be pleased with the way they clean up the tank.