compatibility - Starfish and arc-eye hawk

[R_K_Bell1981]

I am new to reef tanks. I have had marine fish only tanks several years ago. My question is. I am looking for info about compatibility of starfish and arc-eye hawkfish. I don't want to purchase "an expensive snack " for my hawkfish. Also, if you have advice on what starfish to get to help sift through the sand (agina if they are compatible with the hawk fish

 

[Webslinger]

Sand sifting starfish eat corals

 

[Marsh980]

Sand sifting starfish eat corals

I've never heard of that nor read it anywhere. Did yours eat your corals then and which species?

I've got a sand sifting starfish and sand bed corals and its not interested in them at all. However i have a 200 gallon tank so maybe its got enough food. I mostly hear of them starving in smaller tanks and can strip your sand bed of good microfauna.

 

[R_K_Bell1981]

I've never heard of that nor read it anywhere. Did yours eat your corals then and which species?

I've got a sand sifting starfish and sand bed corals and its not interested in them at all. However i have a 200 gallon tank so maybe its got enough food. I mostly hear of them starving in smaller tanks and can strip your sand bed of good microfauna.

I am puzzled as well. Looking at the encyclopedia (reefapp.net) it shows Archaster typicus (sand sifting sea star) is reef safe.

 

[Cherub]

it might eat dead corals

 

[R_K_Bell1981]

Thanks for all the replies! HOWEVER, As sad as it is I got my answer over the weekend. My original question was "Are starfish compatible with Arc-Eye Hawk Fish" I looked at compatibility charts and I am assuming cross checking everything would make a chart the size of a football field. Seeing only it will eat coral, no it will not eat coral, and seeing on another website sand sifting stars are reef safe I bought a medium (3 inch diameter) sand sifting star. I acclimated the star fish. it was very active. I put it in my tank and almost immediately I watched the star fish submerge into the substrate and didn't see it again for about 4 days. I didn't see any sand "rearranged" then on the 4th day I saw the star fish on top of the sand moving to a different location. I thought great it has survived 4 days maybe everything will be fine. Yesterday (one week in) I noticed the star with one leg up the glass and not much else. I came back by and it hadn't moved. I got closer and then I saw why it wasn't moving. MY poo r star fish was now 1 and a half legs and most of the central disk was gone. So, as I said earlier I got the answer to my original question. Are Starfish compatibile with Arc-Eye Hawk Fish? NO!!!!

 

[Angelwolf21203]

I wish I would have seen this sooner, because I could have told you from experience that they are definitely not compatible. I had an arc eye and while pretty and active, they are very mean to anything new in the tank. I couldn't wait to get rid of mine. They will also wipe out your inverts.

 

[R_K_Bell1981]

I wish I would have seen this sooner, because I could have told you from experience that they are definitely not compatible. I had an arc eye and while pretty and active, they are very mean to anything new in the tank. I couldn't wait to get rid of mine. They will also wipe out your inverts.

Yes. I wish you had seen it as well. As much as I like hawk fish I am now looking at how I can give my hawk a new home. I haven't bought ANY inverts because I knew all I would be buying would be expensive hawk fish snacks. I know now if I was making a fish only tank I would keep the little monster . Since I am new to reef tanks and want to add more diverse creatures my Hawk will have to find new quarters. I would love to buy another tank for a fish only tank but I think my wife would say it better be huge cause I would be living in it. I will be visiting my local reef shop and talk to him about what I can do.

 

[Angelwolf21203]

Yeah. All of the hawk fish species are similar in nature. I was also new when I got mine and at that time, my tank was a FOWLR , at that point.

I ended up getting rid of mine, and trading for something else. Lesson learned. The hard way.
Also, stay away from puffers. Another really cool fish, but will eat EVERY invert in no time! Another lesson learned.

 

[Marsh980]

Did you see the Hawkfish actually eating or biting it? Often starfish drop legs when they're starved or just not happy with the tank parameters? How large is your tank and old is it? Just thinking whether you had enough microfauna for it to eat.

Either way sorry to hear that it passed. I've had my flame hawkfish and sand sifting star for 3 months now and touch wood the flame has been a model citizen.