Sand sifter star not 'sifting' sand

neosoulman

Member
I just purchased a small sand sifter star, at least thats what my LFS guy told me he was. He is much smaller than the blue linkia and is a redish/purple color.
I acclimated him for 2 hours and appears to be doing fine.
My question is - since hes been in the tank, he has been on the tank glass, particularly liking the very top of the tank where the water line is. I got him because I needed a sand cleaner. Will he eventually come down or is it common for stars to cling to the glass for most of the time? Is this normal behavior or is he just getting used to his new environment.
I have a 80 gal tank with about 50lb of live rock, 2 shrimp, 1 blennie and 2 clowns. All water parameters are fine.
 

ophiura

Active Member
I'll need a picture to be sure but the color doesn't sound correct. FWIW, sand sifter stars are a terrible purchase. They EAT the microscopic critters that DO stir the sand, leaving a dead sand bed - often far worse than what you started with. At this point the sand sifter starves to death in all but very large tanks without much live rock all in all. So they are not the best choice for what you wish to do :(
I am wondering if you ended up with a Fromia sp star which is often flat like a sand sifter.
In addition, what is "fine" for certain tanks can be fatal to these animals. As an example a specific gravity of 1.019-1.022 is "fine" for fish only systems but fatal, IMO, to many kinds of invertebrates. So specific water parameters are always very much appreciated when discussing behavioral and disease issues in stars.
 

neosoulman

Member
Yes, I do think it is a Fromia after looking at some more picts on the web.
My SG is 1.025
trite, trates, amon are all 0.
As of last night, the star is off the tank glass on has taken to some live rock. However, the main reason I got him was so that he could keep my sand nice. I also have about 20 blue leggs and 15 or so turbo snails.
I also noticed last night that the tips of his legs were slightly curled up, but this morning they were not. Is that a sign of anything?
Also - do I need to feed him anything? I feed some of my corals and sebae phyto about 2 x a week.
 

ophiura

Active Member
If it is a Fromia star, it is unlikely to take to any spot feeding. It feeds on surfaces like rocks and glass, probably things like encrusting sponges or similar. Most, except in large systems with a lot of LR, will die of starvation within 18 months. Watch for whitish patches or disintegration, beginning at the arm tips usually, as this is a sign of acclimation shock (within a month). It is crucial to keep water parameters very steady and within ideal ranges. Avoid any major perturbations in the tank (eg very large water changes, etc). For more info on them and their close relatives (Linckia stars), I have written a Invert of the Month article on seastars, stuck at the top of this forum
 

neosoulman

Member
thanks O. will keep an eye out on the white spots.
i guess i'll have to get that diamond goby to clean my sand then!
 

ophiura

Active Member
Well, do you have a functional deep sand bed, and do you want corals?
I would avoid the goby, personally. They can make a mess, and they, too are eating the good critters in the sand bed. Several types of sand sifting snails, sand sifting cukes (depending on your substrate) and other critters may be better choices long term...
 

neosoulman

Member
not exactly sure what you mean by 'functional' but I have live sand as my sand bed.
i have about 10 turbo snails and 15 or so blue legg hermits. the snails are always on the glass though so my intention in geting the starfish and the goby was for something to keep my sand bed nice and white/clean.
any other suggestions?
 

ophiura

Active Member
Turbos definitely won't be interested in the sand but several others, like nassarius, ceriths and conchs hang out down in the sand.
There have been lots of posts on different types of snails...and lots opinions
(strange hobby, ain't it?) so I would either search around more, or start a threat specifically on them.
A "functional" sand bed, whether shallow or deep, is relying to some degree on the critters in the sand bed to stir it and keep it healthy, so that it can function in biological filtration in the tank. If the critters such as worms, micro-crustaceans, etc are gone, the sand bed can solidify, and water penetration becomes limited. This can lead to many issues overall.
So it is really whether you are using the sand simple as a nice covering for the bottom of the tank, or whether you consider it part of your filtration in the tank.
 

mudplayerx

Active Member
Get a sand softing sea cucumber. They do an awsome job of keeping the sand white, are really neat to watch, and your friends/family will love it.
 
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