i have a ridiculous amount of mini brittles in my 10g tank. When ever i feed all you see are hundreds of arms coming out from everywhere, this does not only occur when the lights are off either. I dont really like how it looks and they also seem to be bothering some of my corals. I understand that they are beneficial but i dont think i need this many to be beneficial. Is there any creature i could add that would take the population down?

You should feel blessed imo. But, I have heard of people having too many amphipods before so...


Rainford's goby (actually not a goby but that's its name, these things are very active eaters and I have seen them kept in 10 gals before)
Maybe a Harlequin shrimp (their diet is strictly starfish so...) (but I'm actually not sure if they'll eat the minis)
Bumble bee shrimp (you would need quite a few but they should keep population in check, mine do)



If you had a larger tank i'd recommend a six line wrasse or mandarin, but only if you had larger tank.

There is a good chance that the majority will die off due to over population in a month or two. If your tank itself is not adversely affected, I see no reason to worry about them.

If they're small enough, most fish will eat them if you drop them from above like fish food.

Also, overpopulations of critters (like bristle worms or mini-stars) will self-regulate eventually.

+1. Selling is a great option. I miss my micro brittle stars...

I wish I had some. Have billions of amphipods, copepods, and small bristleworms, but have not seen a single mini-star in my nano.

i have millions too, i give em to my friends

I think bumblebee shrimp eat them.

Harlequin shrimp do not touch brittle or mini brittle stars. Rainford's goby, Six-line wrasses and Mandarins will not eat mini brittles either, they will eat coepods though, which i think the OP was thinking about.

I'd say pluck em out and sell them.

Are you sure about the Harlequin shrimp not eating them? I have seen them used for this purpose out here... I am asking because I was considering one but didn't want the hassle of feeding a chocolate chip star every month and fouling up the tank...

They are like all creatures, will wax and wane with available nutrients. Check your feeding and husbandry as they can't live without food.

JMO

I don't think harlequins do (check chuck's addiction for more info). However, wombat showed pictures of his "bongo shrimp" pair that eat micro brittle stars and asterinas.

http://www.reefbuilders.com/2008/09/25/rar...-your-starfish/

They eat starfish but not brittle star fish. not ever if the shrimp is starve they dont like them at all.

Thanks for answering about the Harlequins. Like I said, I wasn't sure about those.

I will have to disagree when it comes to the Rainford's though. Mini brittles were the favorite grazing food for the two that I have had. They constantly searched the sand and rocks for these things, yes they ate other stuff also but these seemed to be the most eaten. I realize that it varies from fish to fish and that some might completely ignore them but mine have always eaten them.

Mini brittles and brittle stars don't paralyze like normal stars do when the harlequin attacks it's foot so it gets away. So Harlequins don't even bother with them, they like their prey slow moving and sedate.

I've heard of bumblebees eating them as well.