Sand Sifting Starfish Retired????

[daj0424]

Just a quick question for those who know about starfish. I have had a sand sifting starfsih for about 9 months now and now he is not doing his job. I used to check on my tank in the morning and see that the star fish had moved all around and left its print all over the sandbed. Now I see it is up on the glass and it appears it has not moved much at all in the night.
Now my sandbed is becoming full of brown algae and before my star fish prevented that. What is going on? This has been going on for about 2 months now and I am starting to get frustrated. I have about 4 nassasurius snails as well. I have not seen them for a while so maybe ther are not doing their job as well.
Any suggestions????

 

[darknes]

My guess is that it's dying/starving. Sand sifting starfish are not very suitable for tanks since they rummage through the sand, eating all the pods and stuff in it. Once it finishes eating everything in the sand, they usually end up starving to death.

 

[1journeyman]

Ophiura will know more and want to know the type of star I'm sure.
In general, however, depending on the size of your tank I believe 9-12 months is the life expectancy of these creatures unless they are given an adequate habitat.

 

[daj0424]

Now the question is, what can I get to replace the star fishes duties. I want to make sure that my sandbed is mixed up good every day. I need something that wont be bothered by anything in my tank. Sand bed is only 1" deep. 90g FOWLR.
Stock list:
Yellow eye tang
Blue hippo tang
Large dawrf lion
Moorish Idol

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by Darknes
My guess is that it's dying/starving. Sand sifting starfish are not very suitable for tanks since they rummage through the sand, eating all the pods and stuff in it. Once it finishes eating everything in the sand, they usually end up starving to death.

yep

 

[nick76]

well 1st id say ur sand bed is not deep enough for any sand dweeling stars. It probably did starve. Go with a serpent Star, ive herd good things about them.

 

[1journeyman]

Nass. snails, brittle stars, cucumbers, etc.