Sand sifter starfish A NO, NO?
- Thread starter plum70rt
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nm reef
Active Member
It is my understanding that a sand sifting star fish can deplete the micro fauna of a DSB...I had one in a fish only system for a while and there was never much activity in the sand bed. Since the star fish was removed the micro fauna has returned and there is much more activity in the sand bed. Plus I have read from several knowledgeable sources that sand sifting star fish should be avoided in DSB's.Seems the look at our DSB's as their private lil feast!!
nm reef
Active Member
Yup...at least thats my understanding. Mine was under the sand bed most of the time....and I think he was probably eating whatever he found while under there. Little pigs is what they are....all I know is that I intend to avoid that type critter in either of my DSB's. At least then I don't have to worry about if he eats too much!!!!
crispcritr
Member
what kind of starfish is reef safe?
cap'n pete
Member
Another reason Sand Sifting Stars are to be avoided in DSB is because they are so big that they will diturb the anaerobic layers. You want little critters (worms, pods) stirring the bed not something large. Basically the same reason you just can't stir the bed by hand.
memnoch
Member
The Red Sea star i got from *********** is safe for the sandbed as well as corals. He spends most of his time on the glass and LR. I have crushed coral though for substrate so he may behave differently in sandbed conditions. Frankly i wouldn't purchase another starfish, although they add variety to the tank they don't do much. You nearly need a time-lapsed camera to even see mine move.
alf3482
Member
HTH This is a post by Rob toonen on SS Star's
From Rob Toonen First, let me start off with some background information. The "sand-sifting stars" that we see in the petshops are all Paxillosid and Valvatid sea stars, almost all in the genus Astropecten or the genus Luidia. They are similar to other sea stars in that they have a water-vascular system that functions as a hydralic method to move their bodies around. They have the typical tube-feet sticking out of the bottom of the star, which they can retract when threatened, or move independently for locomotion or burrowing. Unlike most other sea stars, however, the end of each tube foot in the majority of the "true" sand-sifting sea stars is pointed (rather than ending in the terminal sucker typical of most sea stars) for better anchorage in the sand (although there are certainly a few sand-sifting stars in these genera that retain the suckered tube feet, but they are frequently generalists that move with equal comfort on rock and sand). The Paxillosid stars have a unique type of skeletal element (bone-like ossicles called paxillae) that are umbrella-shaped, and have a bunch of mobile spines (almost like a miniature urchin if you were to look at them under a microscope) across the top. These tiny spines allow the star to clean sand off of itself when above the surface, and the umbrella-shaped ossicles are usually dense enough to cover the entire upper surface of the sea star, so that they are still able to extend the gill-like filaments (papulae are the sea star equivalent of gills in fish) to allow the animal to breath when buried in the sand (there is a nice cartoon of how this works found here). They also usually have a distinctive row of marginal spines around the edge of the star that are used for prey capture in some species, and presumably function for defense as well. Most species in these genera are very fast for a sea star, and when stimulated some species can crawl at speeds as high as 75 cm/sec (that's the Cheetah of echinoderms)! Both Astropecten and Luidia are found almost exclusively in soft, sandy bottom habitats where they burrow through the sand for protection and in search of prey (hence the name sand-sifting sea stars). I can't tell you which one you're likely to have without at least a picture of yur star, but the most common ones in the petshops tends to be Astropecten species.
From Rob Toonen First, let me start off with some background information. The "sand-sifting stars" that we see in the petshops are all Paxillosid and Valvatid sea stars, almost all in the genus Astropecten or the genus Luidia. They are similar to other sea stars in that they have a water-vascular system that functions as a hydralic method to move their bodies around. They have the typical tube-feet sticking out of the bottom of the star, which they can retract when threatened, or move independently for locomotion or burrowing. Unlike most other sea stars, however, the end of each tube foot in the majority of the "true" sand-sifting sea stars is pointed (rather than ending in the terminal sucker typical of most sea stars) for better anchorage in the sand (although there are certainly a few sand-sifting stars in these genera that retain the suckered tube feet, but they are frequently generalists that move with equal comfort on rock and sand). The Paxillosid stars have a unique type of skeletal element (bone-like ossicles called paxillae) that are umbrella-shaped, and have a bunch of mobile spines (almost like a miniature urchin if you were to look at them under a microscope) across the top. These tiny spines allow the star to clean sand off of itself when above the surface, and the umbrella-shaped ossicles are usually dense enough to cover the entire upper surface of the sea star, so that they are still able to extend the gill-like filaments (papulae are the sea star equivalent of gills in fish) to allow the animal to breath when buried in the sand (there is a nice cartoon of how this works found here). They also usually have a distinctive row of marginal spines around the edge of the star that are used for prey capture in some species, and presumably function for defense as well. Most species in these genera are very fast for a sea star, and when stimulated some species can crawl at speeds as high as 75 cm/sec (that's the Cheetah of echinoderms)! Both Astropecten and Luidia are found almost exclusively in soft, sandy bottom habitats where they burrow through the sand for protection and in search of prey (hence the name sand-sifting sea stars). I can't tell you which one you're likely to have without at least a picture of yur star, but the most common ones in the petshops tends to be Astropecten species.
almarktool
Member
plum,
i would take him out if u want to keep a DSB i just got mine out tonight he had been buried for the last 4 days , i just learned about this guy myself no wonder there are no pods in my tank with all my LR good thing my mandarin like frozen brine
i would take him out if u want to keep a DSB i just got mine out tonight he had been buried for the last 4 days , i just learned about this guy myself no wonder there are no pods in my tank with all my LR good thing my mandarin like frozen brine