Sand Sifting Star

i dunno but thats a good size starfish if it does get that big

 

It'll starve prior to reaching that size Matt, sorry. They're completly reef safe, but the do eat bethnic critters and some small mollusks. They typically live for a few months to a year, then desinigrate. Sourcing the is the fine art, just buying them isn't good. Marine Depot Live runs a tight ship IMO, but WTF, why didn't you call me 1st?

 

my sand sifter is 2 years and going strong I love the combination of a sand sifting star, orange diamond goby,narcisussus<--SP?and cerith snails to keep the sand bed clean. I don't see much critter loss in my sand bed and this combo does a nice job in my 90 and my 125. as far as the star attacking corals or climbimg rock I have only seen it on the rocks when it is trying to get to a previously unlcrear spot and haven't observed any coral damage ever.

 

Cool.
Do you feed the star at all?
I was wondering if I should try..

 

I feed my brittle star but not my sand sifter, my brittle gets a either frozen krill or silversides about once a month he leaves all his co-inhabitants alone with this schedule

 

Phil5613, when you say "not much critter loss", how are you determing this, looking at your tank or removing and disecting sand samples? What are you looking for as far as critters?

MAtt- seriously, they're reef safe, other then they consume bethnic critters and small mollusks. Larger ones will be able to eat larger mollusks of course, thats why you really only see the S. Pacific variety. They're circumtropical, we've even got them right out here in our bay. I looked pretty intensly into this species to see if our Mexican variety would be viable for export, but they get to large and our divers really don't come across them much.

 

not much critter loss was a general statement meaning I don't see any die off but assume there is some. the live sand I use is a combo of carib sea fiji =(no critters at all) and live sand from florida(dynasty marine)which is loaded with stuff and I couldn't identify it. worms,babystars,bugs you name it .

 

My sand sifting star got really stiff yesterday. He moved less than an inch in a period of 3 hours. I left him this morning motionless and raised from the center. I got him in late October, early November. I've notice that there's been and accumulation of red and brown slime on the sand so I'm guessing that he hasn't been eating much. I think his time is up. What do you guys think? :-/

 

As Gresham said I think, they need a big tank or will starve. I have one in my 20 after some failed attempts to feed it, I fear it will die if I don't find a new home for it.

At a recent club event I met and spoke with Anthony Calfo who recommended at least a 200 gallon tank for one of these stars!!

 

so...a little off subject, but today my math teacher told me to go slow, let (your mind) grow, course he was talking about math, but couldn't help but make the connection, just thought i'd share that tidbit