Sand sifting star dying?

[smoney]

My sand sifting star lost a tip of one of his legs yesterday, and seems to be fine, I was just wondering what happened and is it going to die?

 

[reefer123]

it will be fine.
it will grow back.

 

[bigb]

Originally Posted by reefer123
it will be fine.
it will grow back.
Not always the case. If it is starving it will not regenerate. Sandsifters are another species that have poor survival rate because they out eat the food supply and rarely take to spot feeding. Use the search option for starfish starving, there are pics there of mine that recently starved, his arms are eaten away also.

 

[mdog30001]

ya i had one for a month or so and it was fine, it also lost a leg tip. But then i found out that they eat alot of beneficial things in the sand, so i took him to the LFS and traded him for a big bottle of iodine supplement.

 

[smoney]

my general did this before he died.

 

[ithorian_r]

how long have u had him? how did u acclimate him, how long did it take?? i had a sand sifter as well, didnt know the info on him before i bought him. lfs said it was beneficial!!! i acclimated him correctly, water was perfect, but eventually he started losing arms, i think he was slowly starving. havent seen him in long time.

 

[smoney]

ohh wow, uhh, I think I have had him for like about at least 6 months, he seems to be doing fine, but i dont know if i should worry.

 

[ithorian_r]

yeah sorry but most sand sifters are doomed to die (IMO), esp in small aquariums. i have heard people have had success with em in larger system, 125g and up....
oh and the part about regenerating...in the wild yes. but rarely in captivity will they regenerate

 

[smoney]

Thats what I was thinking. When it dies, I am not going to get a new one, because I think they kill your sand bed dont they?

 

[smoney]

Tragically he is dying.... Lets take a moment of silence......

OOOh man, it was so cool when the hermit crabs were taking him apart and my camalback shrimp pulled out some green thing from the center of the starfish, I am guessing it was his brains, ewwww.......

 

[ophiura]

Yup, dying, as most do
But they have no brains

It was various internal organs. This is a typical means of death, I am afraid...disintegration followed by attack by "clean up" crew.
Definitely don't recommend another, which is sure to meet the same fate

 

[smoney]

Ohh yah, I wasnt planning on getting another one. I got him when about a year ago, before I knew anything about starfish, and From what I understand the starfish basically kills you sandbed?? AM I right Ophiura?

 

[ophiura]

In effect, they eat themselves out of house and home in most cases. They'll eat the critters in the sand that "stir" it on a small scale level, and also eat detritus. Sometimes enough can survive where the star didn't reach them to repopulate...in other cases people may need to get a booster package for their sand bed, or get a few cups of sand from a fellow hobbyist to reintroduce some critters.

 

[smoney]

Well, I got a refuigium thats going to be up and running in a little while. So, that should be good!