Banded Serpent Star

Serpent stars get lumped in with brittle stars constantly, but the giveaway is texture: a serpent star's arms are smooth, while a brittle star's bristle with tiny spines the entire length. This banded species spends daylight wedged deep into rockwork, only coming out after lights-out to scavenge whatever the fish missed, hauling its disc around with long, whip-like arms that move a lot faster than the word "starfish" implies. Reef safe and completely inoffensive — about as low-maintenance as cleanup crew gets.

Care level: Easy · Temperament: Peaceful · Max size: ~10" arm span · Min tank: 20 gal · Reef safe: Yes · Diet: Scavenger, detritus/meaty foods