Doh! Bad purchase I think

[Larry Grenier]

While at the Coral Connection last Saturday I asked the guy for some recommendations for detrivours for my new tank.  I got a few snails and a bag of his live sand and a few peppermint shrimp (my rock has aptasia... I know hit-or-miss with the shrimp).  George also gave me some spagetti macro; thanks George.  The CC guy also sold me a sand-sifting starfish.  I should have done my homework first but I now believe that sand sifting starfish are predatory of small organisms living in the sandbed and therefore bad for the tank.  If this is true then I'm dumb and the guy who sold it too me isn't much smarter.

[pez]

I think the sand sifting stars *can* be detrimental to sandbeds.  I don't know the different between them though.  I'd search reefs.org or reef central for some info.

 

-T

[ridetheducati]

Think about it.  The star is sifting the sand to get the food out of the sand.  Probably not good for DSB.  

 

Larry,

 

Did you check the live sand purchase for flatworms?  Just takes one.  I heard someone purchased a coral that had several FWs.

 

Flatworms are great detrivores.   :D

[Larry Grenier]

Think!  You expect me to think!

 

I've since read several clips like DR. Ron's, saying sand-sifting stars are bad.  I thought he would be more like a cuke.  

 

Anyone want a starfish?    :p

[eddi]

Larry,

 

sand sifting star fish will clean your sand of both good and bad inhabitants.  They will eat detritus, but they will also eat all your copepods, etc.  If you have a refugium, and can replenish your DSB population, then you are ok.  If you do not have one, pull it out or it will decimate it, then die.

 

 

Eddi

[Gatortailale]

I had one for a year and would still probably have it if I didn't add a Yellow headed sleeper gobie that decimated by DSB.  Once I put that fish in, it ate all the food my star was feeding on.   I added a new star a month ago and it is doing fine.  I still see tons of life after hours when I shine flash light in tank.

 

IMO I don't think they move that fast or eat that much that will amount to destruction of your DSB critters.  If your tank is 55+ gal.  and 3+ inch DSB you should be fine.  People on Reefs.org told me long time ago you can even try and target feed the star by putting frozen brine next to it in DSB.

 

If you have a tank that has been up for 9+ months then I think it will be fine.  

Just my opinion.

[Larry Grenier]

I can say that this guy slowly moves across the surface of the sand, stops for a while and slightly buries itself (no more and 1/4") and then moves on.  Only the snails move slower.

[pez]

Do they really eat copepods?  They move kind of fast for the star to actually catch.

 

-T