Sand Sifting Stars
- Thread starter REV
- Start date
Salamander
Active member
They're not really scavengers but sand bed predators. They'll eat all the live and beneficial fauna out of your sand bed. Sorta defeats the part of the purpose of a sand bed. In a 75 my money is on all three stars slowly starving and ultimately falling to pieces (literally) as they die. It won't happen quick but it will happen.
My suggestion would be to trade them in to the LFS and get something else more sutiable to your tank. I'm not even sure if 1 sand sifting star could survive in a 75g but maybe others would chime in.
My suggestion would be to trade them in to the LFS and get something else more sutiable to your tank. I'm not even sure if 1 sand sifting star could survive in a 75g but maybe others would chime in.
REV
New member
I guess I have a remote DSB in my fuge. Right now they are in a 7 Gallon! I feed them things from pellet food that sinks to silversides. I can't imagine them starving in my 75. If my hermits get a piece of a silverside they would probably easily win their dinner. I admit I'm guessing, but they are not terribly slow.
Salamander
Active member
I don't think they'll help with your algae problem. Trade 'em in and get a lawnmower blenny.
Salamander
Active member
Sorry to say but the odds favor the house on this one. More than likely your stars will die too. It may take a while (maybe 6-12 months) but it'll be a sad, slow death. Just trying to help you avoid another future loss.
Do some research searches and see what others say. Question those with them to how long they've hd 'em. I doubt many can honestly say years. They're not the best choice
Do some research searches and see what others say. Question those with them to how long they've hd 'em. I doubt many can honestly say years. They're not the best choice
dippin61
New member
You have 3 in a 7 gallon????
My goodness. First SS stars are not scavengers, they are predators. They will destroy sandbeds of fauna extremely quickly, unless they are in a big system with a very deep sand bed. They eat all day long.
I can guarantee you are starving yours. It may not look like it, but you are. It can take many many months, even upto a year before they will starve and die. It will first start to darken, then start dropping limbs to save its core.
Having 1 in a 75 is iffy, let alone 3, and further more 3 in a 7 gallon. There is no food left in that 7 gallon's sand, and there hasnt been for a long time. They need meaty foods, and lots of it, not pellets. Its actually suprising you have gotten yours to eat silversides. Are you sure your other inhabitants are eating it?
anyways, 3 in a 75 gallon is not a good idea. You wont have a living sand bed, and they will all die, a lot sooner then they should.
and no.. they wont help one bit with your algae problem.
they also should not be kept in any kind of coarse substrate like crushed coral. it cuts them up.
My goodness. First SS stars are not scavengers, they are predators. They will destroy sandbeds of fauna extremely quickly, unless they are in a big system with a very deep sand bed. They eat all day long.
I can guarantee you are starving yours. It may not look like it, but you are. It can take many many months, even upto a year before they will starve and die. It will first start to darken, then start dropping limbs to save its core.
Having 1 in a 75 is iffy, let alone 3, and further more 3 in a 7 gallon. There is no food left in that 7 gallon's sand, and there hasnt been for a long time. They need meaty foods, and lots of it, not pellets. Its actually suprising you have gotten yours to eat silversides. Are you sure your other inhabitants are eating it?
anyways, 3 in a 75 gallon is not a good idea. You wont have a living sand bed, and they will all die, a lot sooner then they should.
and no.. they wont help one bit with your algae problem.
they also should not be kept in any kind of coarse substrate like crushed coral. it cuts them up.
REV
New member
Okay. They eat virtually anything I feed. I'm sure the other inhabitant - a small anemone from the same location - isn't eating the silversides. The substrate in the 75 was also collected from the same location. Again, I do have a remote deep sand bed in my fuge. By the way, they bury themselves most of the time, when they eat, you can see the shape of the food! They eat regularly. I've had them now for about 7 months and their appearance has not changed.
Salamander
Active member
Just trying to help you here REV...as you asked in the first post. Its your choice if you choose not to listen to advice and experiences of others. Maybe you'll have a different experience than most everyone else. Good luck.
lj1064 -- If you're talking about nassarius snails, they're great and you could use many more than 4. They are truly scavengers, but see above for the ss star...
lj1064 -- If you're talking about nassarius snails, they're great and you could use many more than 4. They are truly scavengers, but see above for the ss star...
dippin61
New member
your remote dsb wont do a thing for them.
they bury themselves because they are looking for food.
and like i said, it can take upto and over a year for them to starve. Having something live, and thrive are two different things.
Sure my dog could get by eating only a half a cup a day of food. Does it mean hes healthy and fully fed? most likely not. These things eat almost all day long.
This is all just some advice Rev.. There are lots and lots of info on them available, and lots more here at RC from personal experiences.
petoonia
HereWeGoAgain...
Why are your fish dieing? Are you quaranting them before you add them to the tank? How long has your tank been up and running? What are your water parameters? What type of cleanup crew do you have snails, hermits? Do you have any other livestock in the tank?
I have to agree that having the sand sifting stars are not a good idea. They usually do starve to death over a period of about 18 months. If you like stars why not try a serpent or brittle star?
I have to agree that having the sand sifting stars are not a good idea. They usually do starve to death over a period of about 18 months. If you like stars why not try a serpent or brittle star?
Angel*Fish
cats and large squashes
I agree with Salamander, Dippin and anyone else who said these will deplete your sand bed of beneficial organisms, whether it's a dsb or not. And then starve.
For some reason it's a little known fact that virtually no starfish is suitable for our tanks. Other than the brittles as petoonia mentioned. But don't get a green one they are known fish predators. Personally, I wouldn't trust the others either.
For some reason it's a little known fact that virtually no starfish is suitable for our tanks. Other than the brittles as petoonia mentioned. But don't get a green one they are known fish predators. Personally, I wouldn't trust the others either.
sunfish11
Premium Member
I thought I would have enough food for mine in a 210, but he starved over the course of a year. He looked fine right up until his arms started falling off. When he started to disintigrate he did so within a couple of weeks. I did try to spot feed him at that time by burying mysis cubes under the sand (he did eat them), but it was to late. I would never get another one. I felt very bad about it. I don't like to lose animals and pride myself on at least trying to meet all their nutritional needs as best as I can.
Lisa
Lisa
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