Sand sifting starfish a sand sifting triangle fish

HI Everyone,

This morning I found 1 of my sand sifting starfish stuck on the glass which is unusual, on top of this the star fish was missing 2 legs (or arms) I cannot think of anything that would do this to my star fish - Any help?

Stocking

3 x Chromis
1 x Flame Angel
3 x Cleaner Shrimp
3 x Pepper mint shrimp
1 x Yellow tang
1 x Purple dotty back
1 x Midas Blenny
1 x Black clown
1 x Orange clown
1 x Urchin
1 x (Known) Bristle Worm
50 x Blue legged Hermit Crabs
30 x Cleaner snails
2 x sand sifting starfish (one is a triangle lol)

 

Possibly a ride on the powerhead.

 

Its starving to death. unfortunately very common for these to starve and disintegrate. Its nearly impossible for these to survive in the home aquarium.

 

I agree it is starving to death. Sand sifters do not eat detritus, their preferred diet is live foods such as spaghetti worms, pods and sand bed critters. Once they are gone it slowly starves and sounds like that is your issue.

Horrible tank inhabitants. I added one to a thriving well established 100G with a 5-6" DSB and it wiped the DSB out in less than two months, the tank has never been the same since and the star got given back to the LFS. Stupidest single thing I have done in over 30 years of keeping saltwater tanks.

 

Huh, I haven't heard of this. I have a lot of worms and critters in my sandbed, and my sandsifter has been alive and well for a long time. Grew a lot, too.

I'd agree that the OP's starfish is dying, though. Especially with two in a tank.

 

Yeah too bad. There pretty cool