Sand sifting starfish lifespan.

Catchemall · Mar 10, 2017

So I'm on the fence about a sand sifting starfish. I just don't want to buy something that is doomed from the start. What is the lifespan of these starfish. Will they eat other stuff than microfauna?

ahiggins · Mar 10, 2017

Ive never wanted any "pretty" starfish, because Im scared to kill them...
But I have had a 4 legged brittle starfish (Frank) for almost a year now. He grabs up little mysis bits when I accidentally overfeed haha

Tokash23 · Mar 10, 2017

I think the thing with those is keeping them fed. From my understanding they run through your sandbed pretty quick and usually starve to death, of course this depends on the size of your tank mostly.

Best Fish-Jake · Mar 10, 2017

You'll want an extremely large sand bed (I'd say a minimum of 4" in a 55 gallon tank with minimal competition) the main cause of death with these stars along with horseshoe crabs and other dedicated sifters, is lack of food. If you feel that your sandbed will be enough for him.. by all means try one out! It'll benefit from the occasional target feed if you can ever find it

Best Fish-Jake · Mar 10, 2017

Preferred size would be a 90+ gal with a 3-4" sandbed

Catchemall · Mar 10, 2017

I have a 90 gallon I'm not real sure if I want to try it. I do but don't want something that I have to keep on life support haha

Catchemall · Mar 10, 2017

I'll have to research brittle stars. Can anyone tell me alittle more about them as well

foxfacelo · Mar 10, 2017

I have 2 sand sifting starfish in a 220 gal DT with a 1-2 " sand bed. I enjoy them, they are fun to watch as they enter and exit the sand bed and interact with each other. Plus they keep the sand bed stirred up! I don't know their life span.

Empress · Mar 10, 2017

foxfacelo said:
I have 2 sand sifting starfish in a 220 gal DT with a 1-2 " sand bed. I enjoy them, they are fun to watch as they enter and exit the sand bed and interact with each other. Plus they keep the sand bed stirred up! I don't know their life span.

How are they at toppling rocks? Ever have an avalanche because of them?

Best Fish-Jake · Mar 10, 2017

I'd say you're better off with going for a brittle star... they usually hangout under your liverock/ in little nooks and crannies. They'll eat detritus along with other meatier foods that they find

Sycoticrealm · Mar 10, 2017

Deeper the bed older the tank the better, but they will live as long as you keep your tank dirty lol.
I had one for 2 years in a 2 inch bed on 75g tank it did fine it wasn't until I did a tank swap to a 125g when I accidentally smashed it while placing rocks.
I should of added it last but I guess sometimes things get lost in the shuffle of things and sad things like this happen.
I would sometimes pick it up and put it on a small piece of raw shell on table shrimp when it would come out to climb the glass to the surface then let go and fall lol.
That was it nightly thing it would do idk why must of been fun for it.
It would sometimes run it tentacles across the surface of the water for awhile before it would just let go and fall to the sand.
Cool sea stars I plan on getting one again in the future.

Empress · Mar 10, 2017

I had a brittle star for 10 years. He was the most useless creature I've ever had. Never came out to the front to clean sandbed. Just stayed in the back behind rocks. Finally gave him away. No loss.

Empress · Mar 10, 2017

Sycoticrealm said:
Deeper the bed older the tank the better, but they will live as long as you keep your tank dirty lol.
I had one for 2 years in a 2 inch bed on 75g tank it did fine it wasn't until I did a tank swap to a 125g when I accidentally smashed it while placing rocks.
I should of added it last but I guess sometimes things get lost in the shuffle of things and sad things like this happen.
I would sometimes pick it up and put it on a small piece of raw shell on table shrimp when it would come out to climb the glass to the surface then let go and fall lol.
That was it nightly thing it would do idk why must of been fun for it.
It would sometimes run it tentacles across the surface of the water for awhile before it would just let go and fall to the sand.
Cool sea stars I plan on getting one again in the future.

Did it ever knock down your aquascape? I have my rocks piled pretty high and the sand is under them. And I can't redo my scape.

stevo01 · Mar 10, 2017

+1 on putting a brittle star in the tank rather than a sand sifting star.

Best Fish-Jake · Mar 10, 2017

In regards to rockfalls, any larger invert like that has potential to weaken the base of your rockwork... usually you don't want to place the rock on top of your sand because this will just cause the rock to slowly shift over time/ be more prone to tumbles

Sycoticrealm · Mar 10, 2017

Empress said:
Did it ever knock down your aquascape? I have my rocks piled pretty high and the sand is under them. And I can't redo my scape.

Myself personally I always seem to do short in height land scapes.
I push my rock into the sand a bit and with thin sand bed the chance of it moving is pretty low because of less sinking if any.
I make sure all my rocks are firming in place and you can glue or use one of those dowels to connect them also. Many many ways to do it.
I added him to the tank while I was setting my rock up in the new tank. It was such a mistake he sifted under the sand and I placed a rock and pushed down and smashed him. I was pretty hard on myself about it for quiet some time.
It happens though I'll never make that mistake again though.

Also mine never tried to go under my rocks because my sand bed was thin compared to some people 6" sand beds.
That the only way I could see them causing any problems.

Catchemall · Mar 10, 2017

I may check out a brittle then. It would be neat to have one just because they're unique

Empress · Mar 10, 2017

Sycoticrealm said:
Myself personally I always seem to do short in height land scapes.
I push my rock into the sand a bit and with thin sand bed the chance of it moving is pretty low because of less sinking if any.
I make sure all my rocks are firming in place and you can glue or use one of those dowels to connect them also. Many many ways to do it.
I added him to the tank while I was setting my rock up in the new tank. It was such a mistake he sifted under the sand and I placed a rock and pushed down and smashed him. I was pretty hard on myself about it for quiet some time.
It happens though I'll never make that mistake again though.

Also mine never tried to go under my rocks because my sand bed was thin compared to some people 6" sand beds.
That the only way I could see them causing any problems.

If I had known when I was setting up my tank that l would want sand sifters, I would have put the rocks directly on the glass. But I'm beginning to think because I have an 8 foot long tank and some of the rocks are just barely touching the bottom I could probably get away with it. With 8 feet x 2 feet and about 3" sand bed I should be ok. And the tank is 3/4" thick glass. So even if some rocks were to fall, the tank won't break. Knock on wood. [emoji889]