Sand-Sifting Star experience

[reefin_with_jesus]

I have read plenty about sand-sifting stars and how they can decimate a LS bed, but right now I'm more interested in actual experience with these creatures. For those of you who have/had a sand-sifting star with a DSB:
1.) Does your sand bed look healthy, i.e. lots of critters moving around?
2.) Did you notice a decline in your critter population once you added your star?
3.) Does your star look healthy?
4.) How long have you had your star?
5.) How long has your tank been set up?
6.) How big is your tank?
I have recently aquired one of these creatures after hearing of others success with sand-sifting stars and DSBs. I would like more input on the matter, though. I have a 90-gallon tank with a 4-inch DSB. The tank has been up for about 2 years, but I just switched my substrate from CC to a DSB about 2 months ago. Thanks for everyone's input. Again, I'm not interested in book knowledge on the subject...I have plenty of that. I need some hands-on type of knowledge now. Thanks again. Lance.

 

[reefin_with_jesus]

C'mon, guys. Someone has to have some experience in this area. Otherwise, everyone is just going off of what the "experts" suggest with no real experience of their own. I would hate to think this is the case.

 

[tropicalreefs]

Lance,
I have a sand sifting star in my reef and he's awesome. In regards to your questions/concerns:
1) My sand bed is healthy and there are tons of creatures moving around.
2) I haven't really noticed a decline in my critter population. Every night I find tons and tons of them moving around doing their thing.
3) My star is very healthy and is always moving around from place to place in the tank.
4) I've had my star for going on 6+ months.
5) My tank has been going for close to a year.
6) My tank is a 90.
The way I look at it is the star can't get to about 3/4 of the sand in the tank because he doesn't get under the rock so that is more than enough room for my pod population to thrive. He basically keeps the population in check by eating the stuff that he can get to. I don't think you'll have to worry about depleting your pods at all. I think he does an awesome job of keeping my sand clean. Constantly sifting and moving around and raking the sand over. I think you'll find that a sand sifter is worth it. I think people are too worried about what others tell them to try it themselves. If you have any problems he's easy to catch.

 

[b.b.bigbrother]

Hi i've had ss about 6 months never seen any bugs in my sand 55 gal,recently removed it from tank to grow bugs. I think you should have waited untill you had huge population before introducing it,unless you already do. My tanks been running for 5 years but i just di dsb 5 months ago thats why now i'm trying to get critters in sand and removing things that will eat them also removed chocolate chip star. <img src="graemlins//yeahright.gif" border="0" alt="[yeahright]" />

 

[tropicalreefs]

BBB,
If you have alot of live rock you probably have critters and just don't know it. I only see my critters after the lights have been out for a couple of hours. I go into the room with my tank and flip on a light under my tank so I get just enough to see into it and there they are swimming all around and moving on the glass. It's quite amazing.

 

[reefin_with_jesus]

For some reason, I seem to have a great pod population. I cleaned out my prefilter in my overflow today, and there had to be at least 50 pods living in my overflow/sponge. I was amazed. I see them all the time at night as well. I break out the flashlight after the lights are out. Thanks for the replies.

 

[justinl]

1.) Does your sand bed look healthy, i.e. lots of critters moving around?
- Yes, lots of worms and pods which I can see in their tunnels on the side and front of the tank.
The sand also looks great because of the constant shifing- nice and white.
2.) Did you notice a decline in your critter population once you added your star?
- No, the pod poplulation decrese if anything is due to all the fish in my tank eating them, not the star which doesn't burrow more than 1/2 inch below the sand.
3.) Does your star look healthy?
- Yes, no loose skin or flaking, moves fast, and appears in good health all around.
4.) How long have you had your star?
- Almost a year.
5.) How long has your tank been set up?
- Roughly a year and a half to 2 years.
6.) How big is your tank?
- 37 gallons with a 3-5 inch sand bed.

 

[reefin_with_jesus]

Thanks for the input. I've posted this question on 2 other boards and gotten similar answers. I think sometimes we take the "experts" to seriously. Nothing beats real experience. Thanks. Lance.

 

[fishfreek]

Lance, what other boards did you post this question in? Just curious, i am thinking of adding one of these guys back into my system again and would like to know all the final results. I pulled mine out a few months back to see if the pod/worm population would dramatically incerase over time. I found my pod/worm population to increase some what, but the presence of the starfish out weighted the number of pods/worms that increaced. Just my personal observations.

 

[sandy]

I have one in my 50 gal. I had 'em for about a month. Sand bed has always been clean. I see worms in my rocks at night and pods behind powerheads and in the skilter filter box.
It moves around the sand bed at quite a speed and sometimes climbs the glass.
The ss does seem to have one piece of one leg chewed. Don't know what that is about except that when he buries himself in the sand... one tip of one leg can be seen on the surface. Hermit crab bites? dunno.

 

[ironreef]

IME I had a healthy sandbed But It did decline. The star will distroy there homes= spagetti worms. But my pod population didn't die. I have a refugium and they live in other areas. I had mine for a year it grew. then the growth stop it shrunk and died. It was small when Igot it So I doubt it reach maturity. But it could have. but imo if you want a live dsb I wouldn't put on it> It defeats the purpose. It feeds on your sandbed. IME you need a really live sandbed to keep it alive.I don't use anything to keep my sandbed clean. I let the worms snail ect do this. I have a few snails that get in there but no large starfish,fish ect... My sand stay clean and is full of life. When I had my star I thought my sandbed was full of life. But after not having anything feed off my sandbed for 3 years man it must have been dead before. I can take a scoop of sand and it will look like spagetti= bristle worms large and small. The sandbed is a place for snail and othe animals to lay larva= I have 3 types of breeding snails in my tank. They weren't breeding that fast before. IMO I would choose fully live sandbed or starfish. Bottom line the star will only feed on the flora fauna in your sand =it will kill the life until it runs out of food then it will die plain and simpleJME