Killer Starfish?

[mugs]

I have a starfish (alleged by LFS to be a sand sifting star) that I found wrapped around one of my snails. This "sand sifter" has also been crawling around on the glass of the tank as well as burying itself in the sand. It looks different than the ones I'm used to as it has a "hairier" look to it than the smoother external body of the ones I'm used to. Is it just another variety and would they normally eat a live snail:notsure:

 

[bang guy]

They will eat any critter they find in the sand.

 

[mugs]

I found him up in the live rock wrapped up in a ball and not moving, so I thought he might be headed for Davey Jones' locker. He had rolled off of the LR onto the sand so I was sure he had bit it so I moved him and that's when I found the snail shell. The snail shell is gone, so I'm hoping he somehow survived My bigger question was why this alleged sand sifter is acting so different than others I've had and currently have. I've never seen one on the sides of the tank glass and up in the LR before.

 

[bang guy]

Once they have depleted the sand of all critters they will move out of the sand desperately looking for food. You could try spot feeding it meaty foods.

 

[spicyballs]

i usually drop pieces of dried shrimp before the lights go out at night in hopes my sand sifter gets some.. mine never goes on teh glass.. or at least not that i've seen.. everytime it does, it falls off..