Sand Sifting Starfish
- Thread starter greymach
- Start date
cjml
Member
Some of them do hide under the sand and come out at feeding time-he would probably die at the lfs -- no sand- no food--so he does have a better chance in someones tank....I have had mine for over 2 years----he stays in the sand and comes out when I feed-sometimes climbs the glass- :happyfish :happyfish
greymach
Member
Hey, do u just feed flakes? I just fed my tank and then took a shower. When i came out the star was just starting to bury himself in the sand on the complete opposite side of the tank where he bury himself yesterday. Do they travel under the sand? I would like to keep him. Could you tell me your feeeding techniques. thanks
gmidd
Member
They are recommend for 55gal and up. I was thinking about one but I just read on another site that once they eat up the worms and Pods in the sand, unless its replentished they will die...
"It likes to eat Eats benthic sand crustaceans like spaghetti worms, tube worms, copepods, amphipods and other sandbed infauna"
"One Sand Sifting Sea Star can void a 5 inch sandbed in an 80 gallon system of living sandbed matter in just a few weeks. It will then proceed to stay hidden in the sand, starve to death and decay. Be sure to add this species to a well established tank with a lot of benthic invertebrates in the sand."
"It likes to eat Eats benthic sand crustaceans like spaghetti worms, tube worms, copepods, amphipods and other sandbed infauna"
"One Sand Sifting Sea Star can void a 5 inch sandbed in an 80 gallon system of living sandbed matter in just a few weeks. It will then proceed to stay hidden in the sand, starve to death and decay. Be sure to add this species to a well established tank with a lot of benthic invertebrates in the sand."
ophiura
Active Member
The star shown is NOT the typical sand sifter in this hobby. The one shown is FAR more likely to take to spot feeding and therefor survive in smaller tanks. It is, in fact, considered to be rather a voracious predator. But it is not commonly available.
Very few people with the common sand sifter find that they take to any food - they typically can not be spot fed and do not scavenge. Not always, but generally. This star needs a large tank with little LR in general...surface area of sand bed is very important for them.
It is normal for them to be burried, not so normal for them to climb up glass or rocks.
Success is only measured by keeping the star over 18 months as most take at least this long to starve and don't show any other signs of problems. Simply, they start to disintegrate...many assume they are being attacked but they are generally starving.
Very few people with the common sand sifter find that they take to any food - they typically can not be spot fed and do not scavenge. Not always, but generally. This star needs a large tank with little LR in general...surface area of sand bed is very important for them.
It is normal for them to be burried, not so normal for them to climb up glass or rocks.
Success is only measured by keeping the star over 18 months as most take at least this long to starve and don't show any other signs of problems. Simply, they start to disintegrate...many assume they are being attacked but they are generally starving.
cjml
Member
ophiura
Active Member
YOur star is, as mentioned, a voracious predator (will eat lots of things) and therefor will take to spot feeding. But the common one in the hobby is not the same animal, nor does it have the same feeding behavior I am afraid. YOurs is probably fine.
IMO, there is no larger star that is "good" to have as they all have specialized needs and need particular care. I suppose the microbrittlestars that are typical hitch hikers can be considered highly beneficial and you probably already have these.
IMO, there is no larger star that is "good" to have as they all have specialized needs and need particular care. I suppose the microbrittlestars that are typical hitch hikers can be considered highly beneficial and you probably already have these.
