Sand sifting stars and burrowing wrasses...

[gflat65]

Well, I never figured I would have had an issue with a sand sifting star and fish, but since adding two sand sifters to the 125 two weeks ago, I'v elost both of my burrowing wrasses. I'd had a solarensis for nearly nine months and a leopard for about 5 months. Anyone else had anythign like this happen? I've got a leopard in the 120 with two more sand sifters, but they don't have as much send bed to attack as is in the 125. Wrasses are some of my favorite fish (especially the leopards), so it ticks me off to lose them to a couple dollar starfish I thought was a light detritus feeder...

 

[H@rry]

I've got one that never has caused any problems (that I know of) but I don't have any wrasses though. Next time you come through the Rocket City hollar at me and I'll trade you some frags for them.

 

[Angela Short]

Hate to hear that Gary . I thought sand sifting stars were detrimental to DSB's acording to Dr. Smiechkkkk (However you spell/say it) They sift out and eat all the good fauna in the bed I thought. Anyways, Hate that about the wrasses they are some of my favorite fish also. Maybe it was just a quincedence (crap I can REALLY not spell tonight!! ) Especially the leopard since they are hard to keep. Was he eating regular food for you? I really like them but was always afraid of getting one and it not eat.

 

[gflat65]

I needed something to break the sand bed back up for me a little. It has only been set up for about nine months, but the sand has been compacted and nasty for four... I replaced it when I moved, but with all of the die off from the move and then covering it with acan colonies back when I got the first batch, it wasn't in good shape. I think that put a serious hurting on the functionality of the bed. I was hoping these guys might clean it up for me so it could be on the road to recovery. It's looking a lot better already, though now wrasse less. I'll give them a few more weeks to finish the job, then I'll find a home. I've never had them before. Cuke's usually do a decent job at keeping at least the top of the sandbed clean for me, but the ones I've got are apparently punk A's. They must think I owe them something, lazy bastidges. Still sore about the wrasses... I can't think of anything else that might have gotten them both at around the same time, so coincidences are all I have to go on.

 

[gflat65]

Stupid stupid stupid. Sand dwelling fish #3 missing now. I noticed that the yellow spotted watchman goby is no longer anywhere to be found. They are coming out today-both tanks, despite no losses in the other yet...

 

[DMBillies]

That's weird Gary... I could see the wrasses if the starfish got over top of them while they were buried, but usually watchmen go in under the rocks where I would think a star couldn't get to them (assuming they even like to munch on fish which I've never heard).

 

[gflat65]

I'd like to think differently, but the coincidences are piling up. These guys are like 5-6" in diameter (edge of arms), so maybe it is a function of size? I have a friend that had them in his 300 with no issues, but he has large fish, too. He's never heard of them eating anything either. I've lost three fish in three weeks (no corals have looked bad) and added the starfish four weeks ago. The corals are all doing well, so I don't think there is a chemistry problem. I've checked around the tank fo jumpers (all three could be jumpers), but haven't found any signs. I can't come up with another explanation... They spit shined my sand, though.