Your Opinions On Sandsifting Sea Stars in Reefs

Gwynhidwy

Meat Popsicle
I've heard a lot of differing opinions on sandsifting sea stars. Are they a benefit to reef tanks or a detriment?
 
I have one in my 130 gallon reef tank. It does a great job of keeping the sand clean. I have read that they can consume a huge number of pods in the tank, but I would rather have clean lookning sand and a few less pods. I have a 6 line wrasse, but it eats mysis so I am not too concerned about it starving.
 
I think they're a detriment to a reef tank. :thumbdown

Survival rates beyond a year are dismal (roughly the amount of time it takes them to starve). They prey upon the beneficial microfauna in the sand.
 
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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11565203#post11565203 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by greenbean36191
Agreed. One is most likely too many. They do such a good job of keeping the sand turned over because they're constantly searching for critters to eat. There are several species of star sold as sand sifters, and most of them don't eat anything you want eaten. Some will feed on detritus when other food is scarce, but it's not something they live off permanently. Others are so general in their carnivory that they have been used as a way to sample the diversity of the bottom. Others are extremely specific in their diets and only eat certain small snails or crustaceans that live in the sand.

In nearly all cases, a 120 is too small to produce enough food to keep even one alive long term. They eat the tiny critters that really make a sandbed work and then they can take up to 18 months to starve after they've exhausted their food, all the while showing no signs of ill-health.

They starve in captivity and are bad for you tank-especially if you have a dsb. having that much of it airated all the time defeats the purpose.

Dan
 
My opinion is the same as greenbean's. I'll add that they may also kill certain species of snails, I've watched them do it.

Cheers,



Don
 

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