Red Serpent Starfish

Red Serpent Starfish, Ophioderma squamosissimum, is one of the most stunning serpent starfish found in the Caribbean, and is also the largest. Full-grown starfish can have a central disk diameter of almost an inch and a half, and legs as long as about 8 inches. Be aware that they can get really big and live a long time.

These starfish seem to be a little more sensitive to water quality conditions than the common serpents of the harlequin serpents, so I would not recommend adding them to a brand new tank or one that is being cycled.

Like other serpent and brittle stars, they are easy to care for and will eat almost anything that falls to the bottom of the tank or lands on the rocks. They have a keen sense of “smell”, so they will sense when you are feeding the tank and will come out from wherever they are hiding and actively search for food. They don’t eat corals or octocorals, but may try to eat clams, mussels, and scallops.