Sand Sifting Starfish
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Invertebrates
Forum Description: This is the place to ask questions about invertebrates.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=64815
Printed Date: December 19 2025 at 2:50am
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Topic: Sand Sifting Starfish
Posted By: aceofspadeskb
Subject: Sand Sifting Starfish
Date Posted: June 06 2013 at 10:42am
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So I was in Aquatic Dreams(fantastic store!) the other day with my wife(who is still in the reef tank conversion process) and she absolutely fell in love with a sand sifting starfish they were selling. Our system includes a 55 gal display and 20 gal sump. Currently we only have 3 residents, 1 melanurus wrasse, and 2 green chromis so I know we don't have a bioload sufficient to get the starfish. The system has been set up for only a couple months as well. My question is, will a sand sifting starfish *ever* do well in a 55 gal? And if so, how much of a bio-load should we have before getting one? I have heard horror stories of these things starving to death, dying, and crashing the tank as a result. I'm trying to be more responsible than that. Thanks in advance! |
Replies:
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: June 07 2013 at 7:35am
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Aloha, Some may disagree with me but the only time I recommend a SSStar is for an older sand bed in a tank that is 75gal or larger. And even then, the SSStar should only be a temporary resident. They can wipe out a live sand bed of all the good micro-fauna that are a big part of water filtration. In a proper environment a SSStar is rarely seen because it finds plenty to eat underneath the sand surface. When it is very hungry it goes on the prowl, moving quite rapidly, searching the entire tank for a morsel of food. It's very likely that is why it looked interesting at the LFS. That's my 2 cents.  Mahalo, Mark 808-345-1049 call or text to "talk reef" ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: AcroNem
Date Posted: June 07 2013 at 9:17am
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I both agree and disagree, mark is right that a SS star shouldn't be kept in a young tank, as is true for most starfish. But I have had a SSstar do fairly well in a 55 in the past. BUT, you will most likely never see it unless you like to creep on your tank at night. Always here to talk salt 801-850-7577 Justin |
Posted By: aceofspadeskb
Date Posted: June 07 2013 at 9:34am
| I kinda figured that is what the answer would be. Any other starfish recommendations that may appease the wife? I know my tank is too young now, but we're trying to plan the tank out well ahead of time. It would need to be "cute," visible, and able to live in a 55. Also, how old should the tank be before adding a star? |
Posted By: fishyman19
Date Posted: June 07 2013 at 10:15am
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I 2 of those in my 55 gallon that had only been up for a couple months. One died and the other did great! I never saw it so I figured that it had moved on, but when I put in a harlequin shrimp to take care of my Astreia star problem the first thing I saw it eating was my sand sifting star... ------------- 90 Gallon mixed reef. Wife's 12 gallon nano cube mixed reef! |
Posted By: Shane H
Date Posted: June 07 2013 at 1:16pm
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Get a cucumber instead. They're quite ugly, but they are a great addition to a reef tank. They keep the sand bed fairly well cleaned and they don't eat the micro-fauna, just algae.
BTW - I think many consider Fromia sea stars to be reef safe. But again, a more mature tank would be most suitable. You might look for one of those in six months to scratch that itch.
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Posted By: Dan9554880
Date Posted: June 07 2013 at 3:04pm
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+1on fromia I think that they will be the best choice of all other types of starfish. But again your tank needs to be mature ------------- 210 Mixed Reef 20 Nuvo nano reef Learn your tank, not the hobby |