Sand Sifting Star fish

wildreef · 03-31-2008, 10:13 PM

Hi guys' your opinion on sand sifting star fish .

Now wouldint you know it i went to the LFS to see a buddy of mine today' and i was wrangled by a few "hitch hikers" today , (2 sand sifting stars)

their not much to look at' but I have a avg. 5 to 6 inch sand bed in my main 220 gal.

Now ive' read up on these i don't particurly like the idea of them eating "important" things in the sand' cause seems like ALL star fish are varacious in their eating habbits .

But having such a deep sand bed and the tank has some age on it ' i have become concerned about the sand "holding" the "unwanted" detris and uneaten foods that always seem to build up and cleaning this tank is a pain ( getting to it from a stand it's quite an ordeal )

What do you guys think ? Bad or Good idea ?

cuttingras · 03-31-2008, 10:17 PM

with a 220 and a dsb I think they might get full before the eat everything in there....(IMO of course) I think they're a great idea. Do you have anything in there that might pick on them, or they might pick on?

wildreef · 03-31-2008, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cuttingras

with a 220 and a dsb I think they might get full before the eat everything in there....(IMO of course) I think they're a great idea. Do you have anything in there that might pick on them, or they might pick on?

I should'int suspect I'm usealy pretty leary of putting any thing like star fish' in my tank .
they'd been sitting in the LFS place for like a week in a tank full of small coral frags and in the sand just having a ball in there sifting their little A$$"$ off' , so i'd tanken the plunge and went for it ,
that was my thought with such a (DSB) i dont think im going to hurt it

But wanted to see if any of you guys have tried or curently have them in yall's tank/s

Matt Rogers · 04-01-2008, 09:17 AM

Calfo told me once they need a tank that large to survive.
That was after I threw one in my 20 long.

The sand was beautiful, but the starfish died in a few months.
After that, I'd probably have thrown 1 in a tank your size out of paranoia, but you should be ok I'd think. Is it an old tank?