The mouth, on the underside of the body, has five teeth; an anus is lacking; and the tube feet serve mainly as sense organs for detecting light and odour. The animal feeds by extending one or more arms into the water or over the mud, the other arms serving as anchors. Brittle stars are mainly deposit feeders, scavengers, and plankton feeders; however, they sometimes trap sizable animals. They are capable of moving jerkily but usually cling to the seafloor or to sponges or cnidarians (e.g., coral).

Brittle stars occupy many marine habitats, often at great depths. The most widespread species is the long-armed brittle star (Amphipholis squamata), a grayish or bluish species that is strongly luminescent (bioluminescence). Two of the best-known littoral species are the green brittle star (Ophioderma brevispina), found from Massachusetts to Brazil, and the common European brittle star (Ophiothrix fragilis). Brittle stars typically hide under rocks or in crevices during the day and emerge at night to feed.