How to control mini brittle stars population ?
 

I know they are good for your tank, just like the brittle worms as people say ... but I just don't like to have them in my tank. All my pods are long gone since these creatures have taken over my rocks, I haven't seen any pods left in my tank, and I blame these ones. It must be close to a thousand if I am not exaggerating here a bit ... they are everywhere. There are at least 10 of them for each single powerhead everytime I clean it. I can't kill them, so I always put them back in my refugium. I need something that will eat them naturally. I had been googling lately and some people say the harlequin shrimp will eat any stars. But I have one hitchhiking star I don't want to lose. It is about 3 inches, I don't know what kind it is but I like it. So, I can't have the harlequin shrimp.
I am desperate I need help here, I want my big fatty pods population back, these stars need to be out of my tank. I don't care how good they are, I just don't want them in my tank.

feed less. tons of mini brittle stars are a sign of over feeding.

yep thats what the problem is same with lots of brittle worms. If you have thousands you are feeding too much.

hehe ... I never see any left over food though, they must eat fish poop then ... Alright, I have no control when my fish are giving me a "starving puppy" eyes, they know how to use their "magic" ... Please tell me what type of other creature or fish eat them, PLEASE !

If you don't want to flush them... You could syphon them out into a bucket while doing water changes and just give them away for free.

A few weeks ago J&L had mini harlequin shrimp. Their description said they loved to eat mini brittle stars.

Wayne, I had tried that method but their whole body is deep inside the rocks, only the tiny ugly feet sticking out. I even tried using a tweezer to pull them out but I just broke their legs apart. They are worse than brittle worms :twised: I think catching the worms is more easy.

I've got a good size wrasse that eats them: Halichoeres ornatissimus. A friend of mine also used to have what I think was a Lunar wrasse (Thalassoma lunare) that would gobble them up very aggressively. If you have a large covered tank one of those might work for you.

That wrasse will grow to 6" inches and I only have a small 75 gallon tank. Also I have a BB tank, no sand for them to feel happy. I know somebody can trade them when it grows big, but not me. After a few months later, it will become my other pet then that is it... I know I will be stuck with it till the day it dies and I can't upgrade to a bigger tank. That is the problem. Is there any creatures that you can think of, except the harlequin shrimp ?

Bongo shrimp!! I have a pair. 3/4" and 1/2". They love mini brittle stars. They aren't cheap unless you run the marine section at a LFS and even then they really aren't that cheap. LOL

You could put your starfish in the sump and get a harlequin shrimp. I know mine is eating my mini brittlestars faster then the asterina stars that I want him to eat.