Sand sifting star

[nick540]

Does anyone elses sand sifting starfish climb up the glass?

 

[julianp]

Mine did on occasion, but only at night. They would do it maybe two or three times per month.

 

[nick540]

Thanks, i was worried it was because it was getting hungry.

 

[edandsandy]

It probably is hungry, I HAD some in my tank, they starting losing their legs because there was not enough to eat. It was sad because I love starfish. Good luck!

 

[nick540]

Is there anything i can do to feed it?

 

[gunslingerone9]

33 gallon is not really big enough

 

[Angel7989]

besides sand sifting stars look cool but are bad for the tank. they eat all the living things in the sand and leave air bubbles wherever they go too.

 

[swreefers]

Our sand sifting star climbs the tank walls pretty frequently. We've even watched him climb around the tank some. He will sometimes climb on the LR too. The sad thing is that he often falls from the glass once he gets to the top. It's so sad to watch! He's relentless though, he gets up and/or turned over and attempts it again.

 

[nick540]

I never thought of them as being bad for the tank, i always thought they were good? Wow you learn something new everyday!

 

[nick540]

Mine has not started climbing the LR like yours swreefers, but it is sad when they fall after trying so hard

 

[kycstudios]

Mine climbs the glass also from time to time.

 

[nick540]

thanks, good to know it is a regular thing.

 

[aseminolelady]

sandsatr

sandsatr

Mine climbs all the time day or night ! But I also know that it's not because it is hungry necessarily.I have asked around and it is just something they do.
(90 gal reef)

 

[ROB2005]

Sand sifting stars while they stir the sand, are not really good for aquariums that want to have a live sand bed. When you see them disappear into the sand and reappear in another spot, that means they are coursing through the sand in search of all the live critters that it can eat. They are voracious eaters and decimate an entire sand of the beneficial critters in a week or two.

After that, they will slowly starve and then die, creating an ammonia mess for the rest of his tank buddies!

They do seem amazing though when they are climbing upon the glass.

 

[aseminolelady]

ok thanks for xtra info.

 

[1QuickSubaru]

my sand sifting star has been doing great.... never climbs on the glass and doesnt cause any problems what so ever...

 

[lakelanson]

Hi Everyone,

I have 3 sandsifters in my tank, had them about 18 months now, never had a problem and always climbing up the glass and on the rock, very funny to watch.

However, the other day I noticed that one had kind of stuck a veiny, slimy patch (starfish attached) on the glass... It appeared to come from the centre..

I kept a close eye on this and after a while the starfish had moved, and this glue like veiny patch had gone too. It's happened a few times now, starfish is ok, just a bit baffled as to what it is doing?

Any ideas guys?

Cheers

 

[greenbean36191]

It's eviscerating its stomach trying to eat.

 

[LeslieH]

Mikie, your brain must be warped from too much work! :lol: I shouldn't laugh, it happens to me all the time......

Many stars feed by everting their stomachs, pushing it outside the body to reach food items then releasing digestive fluids to dissolve the prey and slurp it up. The reason oyster farmers hate them so much is that once a star manages to open an oyster shell even just a crack the star will evert its stomach into the shell to eat the oyster. Your star is going after the micro-organisms on the glass.

 

[greenbean36191]

Mikie, your brain must be warped from too much work! I shouldn't laugh, it happens to me all the time......

Ugh, you're right! 4 papers, a couple tests, applications going everywhere, and 2 hours of sleep a night for 2.5 weeks now. Given how I feel I'm surprised I can even put together a sentence, even if it does have a few malapropisms. :lol: