What is this?

[Brian38]

hi guys,

i found this in one of my live rock. it seem like a flat small snake or something and its long! i tried to pull it out with a tissue but it cling on so tight inside a hole of the rock. below is a pic of it but not very clear though.

can anyone advise me on this?

[Brian38]

Here is another attached picture.

[blueheaven]

I'm interested to find out what it is too

Maybe you can try pulling it out using a toothpick?

[Achilles Tang]

It's a brittlestar, similar to a starfish. Mostly harmless to big fish.

[blueheaven]

Yeah I initially guessed a britttlestar too but it looks like its one long thing

[Brian38]

i tried to pull it out but cannot, part of the tail was ripped off when i use more force. is it a snake of something, is it poisonous? kinda worried as i wasn't wearing any protection.

[blueheaven]

Does it have many appendages or does it have only a head and a tail?

If it has many, then I guess its a brittlestar like AT said

[Achilles Tang]

I can see the body in the photo... which is a round disk... and many arms coming out of it... definitely a brittlestar.

Don't worry, Brian38, not poisonous.

[Brian38]

is it common to find this in live rocks? it has many snake like coming out from the rock. i cannot see the round disk from the small hole. will it come out and walk walk?

i cannot find much information about brittle stars on goggle and the closest pic is this, it has same hairy snake like legs but different colour.

[blueheaven]

Some people get brittlestars to help sift the sand

But generally they are not harmful

[Lester]

i agree.... they are not harmful ....

[]v[edia]

thy nt harmful.. quite nice

[searching4dan]

haa.. i think further trying to get that invertebrate out will only kill it?

might as well break that rock into 2 with a chisel to find out wat is its real identity??

if it is a brittlestar, juz put it back into the water..

as it can join ur cleaner crew team..

if it turns out to be a pest.. or some aliens??

then can throw the LR away

anyway is a small piece rite?..

juz my 2cents.. hehe..

[Brian38]

Does anyone knows what does a brittle star feed on? anyone had one before?

[Dazza]

no need to specially feed it... eats the leftovers on sand or rocks. can grow to pretty big size ... super scavenger

[KennethK]

They will find their own food.