feeding a sand sifting star

[devolette]

i got a sand sifting starfish for detritus and now i've read a couple places they don't even eat it? he's starting to look a bit crappy, like parts of him kind of dissolving away.. can i feed him mysis shrimp? if so, how would i go about it? please help me i don't want this dude to die. 55 gallon reef with about a four inch sand bed.

 

[ritter6788]

If its dissolving then there probably isn't anything you can do. They eat plankton from the sand bed, not detritus. To maintain one sand sifter you would need a very large, established sand bed with lots of life for it to feed on. You could try placing some mysis in the sand next to it but make sure to remove it if its uneaten.

 

[Mike J.]

If I were you i'd take it out now; there's no way it is going to recouperate, from your description. I have a large mature tank and wouldn't even think about putting in a sand sifter starfish. I was wondering is there anyone out there that has successfully kept one?

 

[ohio reefer]

I have a large mature tank and wouldn't even think about putting in a sand sifter starfish. I was wondering is there anyone out there that has successfully kept one?

I've had one in my 55 for about 1.5-2 years. I think they may eat Algae also because from time to time he will be on my glass.


Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

 

[Mike J.]

I've had one in my 55 for about 1.5-2 years. I think they may eat Algae also because from time to time he will be on my glass.


Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

well, there's one! I was thinking maybe they shouldn't be sold to tank owners, but I guess I'm wrong.

 

[ritter6788]

I was thinking maybe they shouldn't be sold to tank owners,

I agree.

They do not eat algae. Mine used to climb the glass all the time and fall back down. I think they are just looking for more food. I bought one when I was new to the hobby. It's common to see them kept for a year, 2 years or a few years but there is no way to sustain one for life in an average home aquarium. The usual size is about a half dollar or silver dollar. Mine lived for 3 years but never grew. I've seen them as big as my hand so I'm assuming that even though it was alive it was probably slowly starving over a period of a few years.

 

[ohio reefer]

I agree.

They do not eat algae. Mine used to climb the glass all the time and fall back down. I think they are just looking for more food. I bought one when I was new to the hobby. It's common to see them kept for a year, 2 years or a few years but there is no way to sustain one for life in an average home aquarium. The usual size is about a half dollar or silver dollar. Mine lived for 3 years but never grew. I've seen them as big as my hand so I'm assuming that even though it was alive it was probably slowly starving over a period of a few years.

Mine has shown some great growth. It was a about 1.5 inches at best now I say it's close to 4. Very fat too


Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

 

[ohio reefer]

Here she is

And the width of my fingers when together is about 4 inches


Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

 

[glb]

Believe it or not, I've kept one in my 12g nano for several years.


Sent Via the R2R Forum APP
12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[devolette]

you know, it was strange. right after i posted that i went to turn the tank lights on and he was a goner :/ he only looked like crap for one day before he went. glad i saw him and was able to get all of him out. we don't have any fish in the tank right now because they're being treated for ich and i've been feeding the reef to keep the chemistry in check. there are pods and worms everywhere, plenty of food for the dude so i'm a little surprised he didn't make it. i could honetsly see it being the salinity, it is a bit high and it's been tough keeping up with the reef as much with the hospital going. i really did think without everyone eating all the pods he'd do great :/ all the other inverts and coral are doing wonderful which is awesome. i don't think i'll get another sand sifting star.

 

[glb]

What can you feed them?


Sent Via the R2R Forum APP
12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[rook1980]

I've had one in my 55 for about 1.5-2 years. I think they may eat Algae also because from time to time he will be on my glass.


Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

Mine is always on my glass. And rocks. Leaves coral alone . Shrimp use him as a transport. Lol

 

[Barb0713]

I just watched a video of a guy thawing a piece of griller shrimp , cutting into small pieces and burying it in the sand. The starfish went right to it. It seems so contaminating ?? But,, is that what it would take to keep one alive ?

 

[Stomatopods17]

Pre-cooked shrimp highly do not recommend as it could contain remnants or chemicals from whatever it was boiled or fried on.

Raw shrimp is often safe, especially right from the deli thawed out, its just shrimp rinse it with RO/DI water and cut it up.
As for sustaining a sandsifter, that I don't think will keep one alive. This thing with stars is they have to compete with the natural decomposition process of their food, they quite literally will suffer nitrate poisoning while eating before they fully finish if you give them too large a piece of food, or not get enough food if you do tiny pieces constantly. They need to be eating around the clock so its a L-L if you do large and long lasting or monitoring small bits constantly.

ritter pretty much summed it up, keeping one alive and healthy is borderline impossible, they do their job and then its a starvation timer unless you rehome it. Stars tend to starve pretty slowly and giving them food every couple days is like trying to live long on a potato chip a day, it won't be enough to last just slow the process.

 

[1ghost.toast2]

Here she is

And the width of my fingers when together is about 4 inches


Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

How have you kept him fed

 

[Barb0713]

Pre-cooked shrimp highly do not recommend as it could contain remnants or chemicals from whatever it was boiled or fried on.

Raw shrimp is often safe, especially right from the deli thawed out, its just shrimp rinse it with RO/DI water and cut it up.
As for sustaining a sandsifter, that I don't think will keep one alive. This thing with stars is they have to compete with the natural decomposition process of their food, they quite literally will suffer nitrate poisoning while eating before they fully finish if you give them too large a piece of food, or not get enough food if you do tiny pieces constantly. They need to be eating around the clock so its a L-L if you do large and long lasting or monitoring small bits constantly.

ritter pretty much summed it up, keeping one alive and healthy is borderline impossible, they do their job and then its a starvation timer unless you rehome it. Stars tend to starve pretty slowly and giving them food every couple days is like trying to live long on a potato chip a day, it won't be enough to last just slow the process.

Thanks. . :( I can take it back to the LPS.