sand sifting star and copepods?

[nacl freak]

Will this star fish deplete my copepod populations ? I was encouraged by my lfs to buy a SSS to keep my sand clean. I was thinking as part of a clean up crew,detritus, you know poop. I read on another site they eat all the living organism that makes your sand "alive".

 

[ophiura]

Yes, they will eat sand bed fauna including worms and crustaceans, and are some of the worst animals to add to a tank. They DO NOT eat detritus or even food. They are predatory on sand bed organisms. They will, in many cases, ultimately starve to death.

 

[nereef]

very good advice, as always, from O. another issue is that you can't ever see them, until they die and pop out of the sand.

 

[nacl freak]

I am so distraught about this! I read the discription on SWF that and along with my lfs recommendation I added Sandy to my tank. What to do now ? Return, so another unsuspecting reefer purchases.Allow it to die of hunger in QT? I have a mandrian so IT's GOT TO GO!

 

[ophiura]

The best opportunity is to find a local person with a very large tank...say 150g. The survivial rate tends to be much higher, and the overall impact on the sand bed relatively lower.

 

[notsonoob]

I would see if you have LFS that carries copod suppliments.
I put some in my 72 and with gobies and a sand sifter I had to scrape them off my filter pad back into the tank.
My fuge is loaded with them.

 

[vayapues]

so glad I read this tonight. I am just about ready to purchase a clean up crew through a website that inlcudes one.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[notsonoob]

It is amazing that they don't put a disclaimer on the packaged deal...
But there are ways to keep them if you are educated

 

[confusedfishy]

This thread has been very informative, my lfs also advised me to get one. I didn't know all of the short and long term effects though. I will say they are very beautiful creatures and that after two months my sand sifter is still alive, I guess that means my tank has alot to clean up...Mine does come out though, even climbs the tank walls about twice aweek.