starfish

[trashman]

Hello all just wondering if i can put a sand sifting starfish in a 75 gal tank. The reason i ask is because have had a seller refuse to sell me one because he said that it would starve to death within a year. In case it matters i have a 4-4 1/2" sand bed in my tank. Please let me know what you think.

 

[vicp30]

Sand Sifter

Hello all just wondering if i can put a sand sifting starfish in a 75 gal tank. The reason i ask is because have had a seller refuse to sell me one because he said that it would starve to death within a year. In case it matters i have a 4-4 1/2" sand bed in my tank. Please let me know what you think.

I have a sand sifter in my 90 gallon with a 1 inch sandbed and he is doing great. I have had him for one year and he is happy.

 

[Burke]

I have a friend with an 80 gallon that has one. He bought the tank used over a year ago and the star came with the tank. The previous owner had it for over a year also. So it's been in the same tank for two plus years. I would think it would also depend on any other sand sifters you have and how old or dirty your sand is.

I also thought it wouldn't survive in my friends tank, based on what I hear. But it has so far not been true, at least for my friends star.

 

[trashman]

Well right now i do not have anything for sifting sand in my tank. I am still new to this but the sand is plenty dirty and was used sand but i did rinse it before i used it.

 

[Chichas01]

I can understand the seller's concern. The story usually goes that they last a year or so, if that, before completely wiping out all the infauna in your sand bed and then slowly starving to death. How about a cuke or snails instead? Cerith, nassarius and maybe a conch would work well.

Since you say it's used sand. It's probably best to replace all if not the majority if it is that dirty.

 

[trashman]

well it i did rinse it all good before i put it in there i guess i should have been more specific. i will look into different options to i guess.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Mostly depends on available food and competitors. If your tank is well fed and small cleaner crew it would be fine. As with any target feeder, don't buy any unless you have a strong specific need.

 

[returnofsid]

I wouldn't recommend anyone ever having a sand sifting starfish. Not only will it likely starve, it'll turn your sand bed into a barren desert, very quickly. All the life that you WANT in your sand bed, will be consumed. On the other hand, the fact that you have a 4"-4 1/2" sand bed will work in your favor, if you decide to go ahead and get one.

 

[trashman]

well i do not want to kill the thing but i was under the impression that i could have one no problem but i guess the info i got from the other LFS was wrong.

 

[1fishkeeper]

With a 4" sand bed I think that you sould be fine. But how long has your tank been set up for. The reason I ask this is to get a good idea on how much is in your sand.

 

[tcblightning]

I have had one in a my 46 bowfront with a 3 inch sandbed for almost 2 years...he is doing great, and he is competing with at least 10 nassarius snails. I think their success is circumstantial. I do bury some food in the sand every now and again...but thats not even on a regular basis maybe once a week to twice a month.

 

[abushr]

I was told to lace my sand with food periodically....my sand sifter seems fat & happy.

 

[returnofsid]

My question is, why own a sand sifting starfish, which is a supposed utility creature, to keep your sand bed clean, IF you then need to spot feed, bury food or lace your sand bed? Seems counter intuitive to me. You're owning something to keep your sand bed clean, and then dirtying you sand bed to sustain it.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

As Returnofsid pointed out, if it aint broke, why fix it.
Adding additional specimens merely makes things more complex.

 

[trashman]

Well i have no way to gauge how dirty tho sand is my tank is 4 months old. I feed my fish and corals liberally so i am sure there is plenty of scraps laying around. But in the end if it is a bad idea then i will not do it and go a different route.

 

[returnofsid]

Go the route of Nassarius snails. They rock!! Much easier to add a few more snails, AND safer, than adding something that could obliterate your entire sand bed.

 

[drewm253]

thats weird i wonder y they said that at my lfs i asked them that kinda star fish and they said as long you have 3+ inches of sand you will be fine, and they are nice cause they will mix up the sand for you.

 

[trashman]

well everyone thanks for all the input. i think i am going to play it safe and go with a diamond goby.

 

[drewm253]

are brittle stars reef safe?? my lfs said they r not but everything i read says they are

 

[Chichas01]

There are brittle stars that are generally considered reef safe. Especially the little micro ones that show up in you LR. The one you probably do not want is the green brittle star sometimes reffered to as the 'death star'.