Green Brittle Sea Star - Ophiarachna incrassata
Picture taken September 1999, Sony Mavica FD91 digital camera

Purchased: January 19th, 1998

Yes, this is the dreaded green brittle star. Considered a non-reef safe sea star this fellow enjoys life in my sump after eating several peppermint shrimp.

The arms of this sea star are about 8 to 10 inches long. It spirals its arms around its body and lifts its body off the substrate to make a nice little sheltered area for a shrimp or fish to swim into. Once that happens the trap is tripped and the arms slam shut and very long spike like teeth dig into its pray.

Once a week or so I offer this sea star a small chunk of frozen shrimp which it aggressively tracks down in the sump and wraps its arms around.

Green Brittle Sea Star - Ophiarachna incrassata
Picture taken March 2000, Nikon Coolpix 950 digital camera, no flash

This picture is taken from above the sump looking down. The oral disc is about 2 inches across in size and would have no problem eating small fish.