Sanddollars

Looking for a place to buy these online????? Has anyone ever kept them in their dsb?

 

Well, from what I have heard, they require a huge tank because they like to roam. I dont remember seeing them ever being sold online. But from what i have read they need huge tanks.

 

I remember seeing them for sale on a website once they were very small only 1/2 inch or so and they were like 5 for 20$

 

bruce is right.....a good estimate for a single sand dollar would be about a 50 gallon tank. they solely rely on diatoms, microalgae and bacteria in the sediment. another thing to think about is they need at least a four inch dsb that consists of a larger grain substrate, they suffocate in fine sediment. it's best to have an open area of sand so they can roam without running into rockwork. as with most invertebrates they require exact salinity and proper temperatures from where they were gathered, hth. (***and yes, when you happen to see them in the hobby...they tend to be inexpensive)

 

Well with further research on the topic I have decided that they should remain in the ocean and are not suitable for the hobby as generally they will starve to death. I had seen them and though they would be a neat addition having remembered collecting them from the beach when I was a kid.......though I think those were mostly the dead variety. Maybe Ishould just add some skeletons for decoration as I won't be adding any live ones. I like to think I am more responsible than to do that.......

 

You would hardly ever see them even if you did buy them. In addition to being hard to keep, and requires more food than your tank would produce eventually leading to starvation( basically the same problem with sand sifting stars etc.!) due to the small, confined space, I would definitely pass on them. Plus, if it is very hard to get them, their must be a reason for them not being a desireable saltwater denizen!
Good job in passing them by-If you are looking for something cool and interesting, try a Conch(fighting or Queen, just not both kinds in the same tank)!

 

hey adnuces if you want sand dollars the place to go is atlantisaquarium.net. the are $20 i belive but they sell fast. as mentioned above they do need deep sand bed and a well developed tank. as far as them starving i dont think that is true if they have similar requirements as sand sifting stars. i have two sifting stars and they have been great for over a year now, they even reproduced. the little ones are so cool. so good luck with whatever you decide.

 

I think what you're seeing are asterina stars, not offspring of your sandsifting star.