Are Sand Sifting Starfish worth getting?

[Misled]

He only does the top half inch or so of the sandbed. He could probably give about 3 cups a week.

 

[johnike]

My Cucumber days are over since installing the closed loop.
Don't ask, blech.

 

[Twistofer]

I've had sandsifters and I feed them like everything else. I've also had tigertail cuc's and they're OK.

I'd advise doing your homework when it comes to serpent stars. Some are omnivorous and detrivores, but others can be aggressive and eat smaller fish. I had a green serpent several years ago, which would actually reach out and grab a small piece of silverside or krill from my feeding tongs.

 

[gregrocks79]

I've got one in my 60G w a DSB. Also have nass snails and 2 brittle stars. No issues at all.

 

[Travis Rohrbach]

I have a sand differ in my 90 reef shallow sand bed with a 30g refigium with absolutely no issues!!

 

[Travis Rohrbach]

Forgot to mention he has alive in my tank for a year and a half along with a bunch of narsiuss snails and conch

 

[Lafresh]

Please Help...

I have been setting up my aquarium for seahorses for about 2+months and finally the nitrate and the live rock are settled so I went to the seaview aquarium to firstly get my clean up crew and my starfish
They told me to acclimatise the starfish by floating their bags on my aquarium water for about 15-20mins until water temperature was the same.
I just did that but they haven't moved for about 1 HOUR!!!
so now researching online I find out I was supposed to acclimatise them using the drip method for about 3 or more hours

they dont look good...

they look stiff and their legs are pointing up :'-(

I dont know what to do now?!

 

[worm5406]

I would bet that the salinity of their tank and yours was not the same.

Did you just pull it out or dump the water in too?

Always check the salinity of what you are getting to ensure same parameters and temperature.

Never dump the senders water into your tank (a few exceptions but not discussed here) if their tank has any form of ich or other parasite, you just added it into your tank.

 

[Lafresh]

Thanks

I dont know the salinity of the tank they came from but my tank is 1.025
I did transfer the water from their bag into my aquarium too!
Was I not supposed to do it? if not, how do you transfer them without getting them exposed to air? I'v heard they shouldn't ever be in contact with air

Cheers

 

[Lafresh]

Do you reckon they'll survive? Im so worried I cant sleep (its 12am here)... hate to think they are slowly suffering until death..

 

[Chicago]

mine have been in contact with air. try not to add the water from any other tank, LFS or otherwise to your tank.. drip acclimation is best.. you can kinds do three buckets if you are totally against putting in air. just bag with little watter tank that bag and put in bucket of tank water. remove from bag.. let sit for a bit.. get bag. fill with bucket water..just enough to keep it wet. transfer to next bucket. ..you get the idea..

keep us posted..

 

[worm5406]

Have they moved at all? are they still alive?

 

[Lafresh]

They are still in the same spot not moved
only sometimes their tentacles slightly

Thanks

 

[Reefa25]

They always seem to starve. I'd say not worth it honestly.

 

[Lafresh]

Thanks for the info

Do you guys reckon it would be reasonable to expect the LFS to have told me how to transfer it into my tank when they sold it to me? They did tell me to rest the bag for 15-20 but that was all. I'd like to complain but the only problem is that this is like the only well-equipt aquarium shop in Adelaide SA, so I don't want to get in their bad side since I go there every week

I mean, I know I should have researched myself but I just thought I could trust them

 

[anbosu]

Thanks for the info

Do you guys reckon it would be reasonable to expect the LFS to have told me how to transfer it into my tank when they sold it to me? They did tell me to rest the bag for 15-20 but that was all. I'd like to complain but the only problem is that this is like the only well-equipt aquarium shop in Adelaide SA, so I don't want to get in their bad side since I go there every week

I mean, I know I should have researched myself but I just thought I could trust them

It's not their responsibility, honestly. A good LFS would tell you if you really didn't seem like you knew what you were doing, but that's pretty basic stuff.

 

[gregrocks79]

Ya it's a starfish that's best for well established aquariums w plenty to eat in the sand. I've had good luck but I feed a lot and have a nice deep sand bed

Never ever put any one else's water in your tank. Unless it's fresh salt or RO

 

[Lafresh]

I asked for recommendations since Im new in the game... My tank is 160L and have been establishing it for about 3 months before I put in my treasured seahorses so have been trying to learn heaps on time for them... to me there is nothing basic about the drip method lol

thanks anyways
I will take responsibility for learning and wont trust advise from the LFS ppl even thou is supposed to be their expertise