Sand sifting star

rhoople · #1 07/26/2007, 02:40 AM

Is a sand sifting star a good, or bad addition to a reef tank? I always get mixed answers on this one, so could someone give me a definitive answer to this?

jdieck · #2 07/26/2007, 03:29 AM

They need a large area of sand to survive and they will decimate some of the fauna that you need for a DSB to work properly.

AZDesertRat · #3 07/26/2007, 09:08 AM

A sand sifting star was the absolute worst thing I ever added to my tank. I added one against everyones advice not to and it wiped out my well established 330 lb DSB is a matter of months. It took 6 months of sand donations from friends and numerous bottles of Ocean Pods to get it anywhere close to where it was before. Don't Do It!

drummereef · #4 07/26/2007, 10:12 AM

I agree, possibly the worst addition one could make to a reef tank. There are much more suitable sand sifters for our tanks.

papagimp · #5 07/26/2007, 10:23 AM

While I thoroughly enjoyed my sand sifting starfish I had, I did wind up getting rid of it for the reasons mentioned above. He lived well in my 55g for about a year, but was a very small specimen to begin with, I gave him away when he was bout 4-5" or so, Sure my sandbed was well stirred, but my recent nassarius additions do a better job and they don't harm the DSB at all. And won't starve to death after they eat the goodies from the DSB either.

phragman53 · #6 07/26/2007, 04:32 PM

FWIW I had a very similar experience with a sand sifting star. It was a terrible addition and I will never get another.

ILM75Dodge · #7 07/26/2007, 04:47 PM

I agree too, I had one in my 60 gallon and he not only up rooted things but cleaning out the sand bed like there was no tomorrow!! and then he was still hungry!!

thecichlidpleco · #8 07/26/2007, 05:12 PM

He was a model citizen in my tank, but after two months in 40 gallon, I knew it was a bad purchase and that he would be better off in a larger tank with a deeper bed.

rbursek · #9 07/26/2007, 05:17 PM

Ditto all, go with the Nassarious Snails!!!!!!!!!! Do a better job of moving sand, eating poop. and leave the sand fauna alone.
Bob

rbursek · #10 07/26/2007, 05:25 PM

Forgot to mention at night when theycome above!!! under the moon or red lights it is like watching a Conga crew of snow plows!!!!!!!!! Cool!!!!!! Where in WI?? I live in Germantown, burb NW of Milw.
Bob

rbursek · #11 07/26/2007, 05:32 PM

Went to your profile and pics, I noticed your are 2 years younger then me, must not know what to do with your retirement moneyLOL!
Bob

rhoople · #12 07/26/2007, 05:44 PM

That's basicly what I was told by most, so he is now gone!!! I do have a deep sand bed (6") and don't want it all you know what.
So again, thanx for all the help. I'm In WI too, live in Hartford.
Retirement money, I have a kid on the way, does that say enough?

Nanemene · #13 07/26/2007, 05:50 PM

How does one know if the fauna in your DSB is deteriorating?

rbursek · #14 07/26/2007, 06:10 PM

You do not know what BC is?
Bob

Nanemene · #15 07/26/2007, 06:17 PM

no

earthboy17 · #16 07/26/2007, 08:03 PM

Drummereef mentioned, "There are much more suitable sand sifters for our tanks."

What are some of the better and more suitable sifters then? Aside from Nassarius Snails, what fish are good?

Are sand-sifting gobies good sifters (i.e. do they decimate the good stuff in the sand?).

jdieck · #17 07/26/2007, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by earthboy17
Drummereef mentioned, "There are much more suitable sand sifters for our tanks."

What are some of the better and more suitable sifters then? Aside from Nassarius Snails, what fish are good?

Are sand-sifting gobies good sifters (i.e. do they decimate the good stuff in the sand?).

Diamond gobies feed on the sand fauna, I prefer something like a pistol shrimp and nassarius snails

AZDesertRat · #18 07/26/2007, 08:38 PM

I use nassarius snails. a single fighting conch if the tank is large enough and astrea snails.

ManotheSea · #19 07/26/2007, 09:04 PM

I agree. The sand bed is a limited resource. Its better used for purification than for starfish food.

RudeBoy · #20 08/20/2007, 06:32 PM

I'm a little confused by this tread after reading it. What about those like myself who do not have a DSB in their tanks and instead have maybe a 2-3" SB and don't rely completely on the fauna in the sand to keep our tanks healthy???

I've see some one the most successful tanks with no DSB, S.S. Stars in them and they've had no issues whatsoever... one is a member of our local reef club and his tank is well over 10 years old.

So, I'm a little curious as to what results your seeing as a result of having these stars in your systems. Everyone is just saying how horrible they are and that they had to replenish their sand. What results are you seeing?

AZDesertRat · #21 08/20/2007, 06:39 PM

Still not a good inhabitant. If you don't want a functioning DSB and you feed heavily they may survive but in most cases probably not thrive. Why would you want one though since they are not sandbed cleaners, they don't eat detritus remember?

RudeBoy · #22 08/20/2007, 07:55 PM

Mainly because I have stuff that does eat it, BUT they don't move my sand around to keep it as clean as I'd like. MY LFS has a SS in their display tank and the sand is pristine. My Nassarius snails are huge but they only come out when I feed and I don't see them do squat at night when the lights are off.

I'd also like to add that before I bought mine tonight, I looked up a little information about them in a book in my LFS entitled "Reef Invertebrates" By Anthony Calfo & Robert Fenner and it clearly stated in that book that they "eat detritus". So, maybe these guys are misleading the public with their information.

jdieck · #23 08/21/2007, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RudeBoy
Mainly because I have stuff that does eat it, BUT they don't move my sand around to keep it as clean as I'd like. MY LFS has a SS in their display tank and the sand is pristine. My Nassarius snails are huge but they only come out when I feed and I don't see them do squat at night when the lights are off.

I'd also like to add that before I bought mine tonight, I looked up a little information about them in a book in my LFS entitled "Reef Invertebrates" By Anthony Calfo & Robert Fenner and it clearly stated in that book that they "eat detritus". So, maybe these guys are misleading the public with their information.

In reference to the Archaster Typicus the white burrowing sand star it does not seem to me that they are misleading anyone or that their information in the book contradicts what has been said in this thread...

quote from the book:

"They are coveted by some reef aquarists for their extraordinary effectiveness as detrivores consuming algae, debris and micro-organisms from the sand bed surface."

"Their efficient skills as detrivores can be a significant obstacle though, in smaller aquariums or very well "scrubbed" systems. A mature sand bed at some appreciable depth (over 4"/10 cm), in larger aquariums (100 gallons per specimen), is highly recommended

So in summary on one side in deep sand beds were they can survive they will consume the microfauna and one the other side they are not recommended for a 65 gallon with 2 to 3" of sand bed as they will not survive long term.

Nanz · #24 08/21/2007, 08:58 AM

Dang.. I was just getting attached to the sand sifting starfish in my tank.. Its only been in there 2 weeks but he sure moves alot of sand and corals around, hehe.. I had to move my sun coral off the sandbed because he kept knocking it over.

What is a reef safe starfish?

jdieck · #25 08/21/2007, 10:09 AM

True Linkia stars are reef safe but require a lot of rock (IMO over 150 pounds) to survive as it only feeds from what seeems to be bacterial film on the rock surface.