Sand sifting starfish eats ich tomonts?

[Miami Reef]

I’m really surprised there isn’t any studies done on this yet.

Do you think it’s possible for a sand sifting starfish (Astropecten polycanthus) to consume some of the ich tomont stage where they are encysted in eggs on the sandbed?

This is really interesting to me.

 

[homer1475]

Suppose it's possible, but I have found over the years sand sifting stars prefer large meaty bits(medusa worms, spaghetti worms, amphipods, etc), not something microscopic.

 

[Ricksreeefs]

This sounds really interesting! Following