Brittle stars eat shrimp?

[davjbeas]

I added a brittle star last tuesday to my reef.

Yesterday I found the shell of a peppermint shrimp.

Either it molted or the brittle star got it.

Which is more likely?

 

David

[Chad]

I have seen brittle stars eat just about anything from flake food to fish and snails...

 

That being said, brittle stars usually will eat stuff that is dead first, but some will trap and eat living stuff (the olive green brittles definitely will eat something living).

 

What type of brittle star is it? If it is a green one, I would say it could be either. If it is one of the black/grey/dark red ones, it is probably a molt.

[Jon Lazar]

I would search for the shrimp to see if it's hiding somewhere.

[davjbeas]

The star is brownish, tan.

I can search at night for the shrimp. I never have seen it for a long time. It always has stayed hid. I didn't think I had a shrimp to be honest.

 

David

[Coral Hind]

I bet it just molted.

[Chad]

^my thoughts as well.

[gmubeach]

molted is my bet as well they look idetical to the living animal!

[squintin]

i've seen my brittle star kill the entire molt of one of my peppermint shrimps before. not quite sure how the brittle star would be fast enough to catch a live shrimp though...those things are quick!

[davjbeas]

I will try to get a pic tonight

The shell looks perfect like it was chopped in half very cleanly.

 

David