Is something eating my sandsifting star

[drblank1]

See picture. I got this star fish about a month ago. He moves around the tank and goes into the sand. Seems to be doing OK but I'm not sure if he has a sickness/disease or something is nibbling on him. Looks like small chunks of him are gone and the tips of a couple of his tentacles are missing. The only thing in my tank that I could think would take bits out of him are the conches or the hermit crabs. I didn't circle all the white marks on his body. Any insight is appreciate. Thank you.

 

[AcroNem]

How old is your system?
Sand sifting stars tend to starve and not live long in captivity unfortunately. It does look like yours is starting to deteriorate.

 

[drblank1]

How old is your system?
Sand sifting stars tend to starve and not live long in captivity unfortunately. It does look like yours is starting to deteriorate.

2 years old. Lots of food in the sand as I don't vacuum. Some of the "holes" seem to be healing over. Not sure he is malnutritioned. Pretty sure something is "biting" the starfish.

 

[KeepAFish]

2 years old. Lots of food in the sand as I don't vacuum. Some of the "holes" seem to be healing over. Not sure he is malnutritioned. Pretty sure something is "biting" the starfish.

How long have you had the starfish? How big is your tank? Do you have crabs, anemones, coral, aggressive fish, or anything in your tank you suspect?

 

[drblank1]

Had the starfish for about a month. The tank is a 70 gallon. I have an anemone but he is up high in the rock and the starfish hasn't climbed the rocks yet. I was think maybe the conches but not sure a starfish is on its diet. Everything else is very passive/friendly fish. Also my corals are zoanthids and sps.

 

[homer1475]

And thats what sand sifting stars look like when they are starving literally to death.