pleasants9
Member
I have a 55 gallon with with a few snails and blue leg hermit crabs and one sandsifting startfish. I was wondering how many starfish is too many. What starfish are good for just tank upkeep or hardy?
whats the ideal number of starfish?
- Thread starter pleasants9
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pleasants9
Member
anyone?! any comments or anything. What does everyone have in their tank? do you feed em ?
jubbin2001
Member
I think you are probably good on the 1 sand sifting starfish. From what I understand they mostly burrow through your substrate cleaning out all the left over decaying matter, so I don't think you need to really "feed" them. Perhaps 1 serpent star or 1 brittle star more at the most. Depending on if you have a reef tank or not would determine what starfish you could possibly have, as well as what fish, as some fish will pick on them, or even have them as a tasty mobile buffet.
pbienkiewi
Member
I have two brittle starfish in my 55 gallon tank. I use to have a serpant star but I lost him in the move a few months back. They are a good 4 plus years old. There single leg reach is a good 10+ inches. I feed them shrimp and silverslides. The only downfall to starfish is that they feed on clams.
mie
Active Member
Originally Posted by pbienkiewi
http:///forum/post/2903146
I have two brittle starfish in my 55 gallon tank. I use to have a serpant star but I lost him in the move a few months back. They are a good 4 plus years old. There single leg reach is a good 10+ inches. I feed them shrimp and silverslides. The only downfall to starfish is that they feed on clams.
Not all starfish feed on clams.
http:///forum/post/2903146
I have two brittle starfish in my 55 gallon tank. I use to have a serpant star but I lost him in the move a few months back. They are a good 4 plus years old. There single leg reach is a good 10+ inches. I feed them shrimp and silverslides. The only downfall to starfish is that they feed on clams.
Not all starfish feed on clams.
texasmetal
Active Member
The major carnivorous stars can be problematic. Bahama, chocolate chip, etc. Brittles and serpents shouldn't munch clams.
The sand sifting star will eventually starve to death, once your sandbed is completely devoid of all beneficial micro-fauna.
I have like 4 serpents/brittles in each of my tanks. 60/75/140.
The sand sifting star will eventually starve to death, once your sandbed is completely devoid of all beneficial micro-fauna.
I have like 4 serpents/brittles in each of my tanks. 60/75/140.
pleasants9
Member
what do serpents and brittles eat? Is there anything I can feed the sandsifting star i have?
U
usirchchris
Guest
Originally Posted by pleasants9
http:///forum/post/2911393
what do serpents and brittles eat? Is there anything I can feed the sandsifting star i have?
I have never had a sand sifter, but from what I have read they are not good for tanks for two reasons...1. they eat all of your beneficial critters in the sand. 2. They do this quickly and effectively...so quickly they end up starving themselves. I am with Alix on this one. I would not put a star in a 55, but brittles or serpents are ok. JMHO
http:///forum/post/2911393
what do serpents and brittles eat? Is there anything I can feed the sandsifting star i have?
I have never had a sand sifter, but from what I have read they are not good for tanks for two reasons...1. they eat all of your beneficial critters in the sand. 2. They do this quickly and effectively...so quickly they end up starving themselves. I am with Alix on this one. I would not put a star in a 55, but brittles or serpents are ok. JMHO
pleasants9
Member
when alix says micros, what is he referring to?
alix2.0
Active Member
Originally Posted by pleasants9
http:///forum/post/2911422
when alix says micros, what is he referring to?
she is referring to "micro" brittle stars, which look inentical to regular brittle stars, except they are about an inch in diameter. very cool. my rock is crawling with them.
http:///forum/post/2911422
when alix says micros, what is he referring to?
she is referring to "micro" brittle stars, which look inentical to regular brittle stars, except they are about an inch in diameter. very cool. my rock is crawling with them.
ophiura
Active Member
You can have several species of brittle/serpenstars in that size tank easily, but avoid the green.
I have 10 in a 45 g. In the wild, you will commonly find several under a single piece of rock.
Your sand sifter will likely starve in 12 to 18 months. You will probably think something is eating it. The arms will start to disintegrate. You can try spot feeding, but most will not take to it. Try anything meaty.
Carnivorous seastars can be kept several to a tank, but they will eat snails, corals, hermits, etc and possibly even each other though keep them well fed.
Reef safe seastars can definitely be too much for a single tank. IMO, even a single one would be marginal in most 55g tanks. More would likely eat each other into starvation.
I have 10 in a 45 g. In the wild, you will commonly find several under a single piece of rock.
Your sand sifter will likely starve in 12 to 18 months. You will probably think something is eating it. The arms will start to disintegrate. You can try spot feeding, but most will not take to it. Try anything meaty.
Carnivorous seastars can be kept several to a tank, but they will eat snails, corals, hermits, etc and possibly even each other though keep them well fed.
Reef safe seastars can definitely be too much for a single tank. IMO, even a single one would be marginal in most 55g tanks. More would likely eat each other into starvation.