How to keep sand-sifting sea star alive?

[Jan]

Is there some way I can keep my new sea-star alive with supplemental feeding? I don't like worrying that he will slowly starve and then decay in my tank. It is a 120 gallon tank, not live sand. I've tried to feed it bits of shrimp but it just maneouvres out of the way of the shrimp. Any recommendations on this? Or should I just take him out of my tank and try to return him to the LFS?

 

[jezzeaepi]

Even if you had all live sand in your tank, it probably wouldnt live long term. If you dont even have live sand Id return it immediatly.

 

[Jan]

Okay....thanks.

 

[jezzeaepi]

The problem with the sand sifting stars is that they consume the micro organisms in your sand bed faster then they can reproduce(unless your in the 240+ range). When the micro crustacean population collapses, the star will slowly starve to death. Since your bed isnt full of micro crustaceans, he is already in the starve phase. He wont die immediatley, but I am sure like me you dont like the idea of starving it. A serpent star would be a much better choice. They will roam around and find all the un eaten chunks that fall to the bottom. You can supplementally feed those as well, unlike the sand sifting star.

Peace

 

[shallowreef]

wait till your tank has been up for 5 or 6 months and then add one. I used live sand and non live sand in my 210 and i only have 2. I had 5 so as you can see i screwed up.