Sand sifting starfish

[Fingers68]

Hi

I just put one of these in the tank as part of the clean up crew, however. I have just been reading they might be eating good things that I want in the sand bed as well as the rubbish?

I have a 1.5 inch sand bed in a 755 ltr tank with a deep sand and miracle mud bed in the refuge.

Does the star fish eat pods for eg? as these are for my mandarin.

 

[njdevilsfan]

i did the same thing you did
read the same as well
so i yanked him
good luck

 

[billdogg]

Sandsifting stars are seen by most as a creature best left in the ocean. Unless you have a HUGE tank, it is really just a matter of when, not if, they will decimate your sandbed and then slowly starve. JM .02

 

[pammy]

I read the same things but unfortunately read them AFTER I bought my sandsifting star. I've had him for 18 months now, in my 53gallon tank, and he still seems to be thriving.
Pam

 

[barclayrl]

Mine ate eveything starved and died... Ended up fouling my snadbed...

 

[KJAhp098]

Mine is doing fine in my 300. Most people would agree that at least a 100 gallon tank is required for long term survival.

 

[Fingers68]

having a 755 ltr main I am not to concerned about it surviving, I am more conserned about it eating things that are good for the natural ballance of my tank, even though I am not going the deep sand bed way.

And most important, does it eat pods!?

 

[thincat]

It more then likely will eat anything that fits into it's mouth, pods included...