Deep sand fuge. Starfish

[srkr1432]

I have deep sand fuge and Should I or should I not add a sand sifting starfish? I have cheato and culpera with a 24 hr a day light cycle. Does the sand need to mixed up? it was ruoured if not stirred could possibly cause a tank crash.
BTW..the starfish is currently in my mail display. It has about 1-2' of sand and my fuge has about 9"...thanks in advance...Shane

[dragon_slayer]

if you don't have clumping or crusting on the top layer a SS star isn't going to help, I'd leave it in the display.

kc

[billsreef]

Sand sifting stars will quickly deplete a sand bed of worms, and they won't stir as deeply as the worms do. I'd keep the starfish out of the refugium sand bed and promote the growth of various worms and amphipods as sand stirrers.

[malintner]

If you have several starfish in your display, you will probably find starfish in your fuge sooner or later. When I set up my current system in August of last year, I had four serpant stars. I have seen baby star fish surfing the current for several months. Today I found a starfish in the fuge. When he gets to be "display" sized, I will move him to the display. They won't help or hurt being in the fuge in general, but the display is where it makes the most sense to keep them. When you get too many, trade them in at your local LFS.

[dragon_slayer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9719308#post9719308 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by malintner
If you have several starfish in your display, you will probably find starfish in your fuge sooner or later. When I set up my current system in August of last year, I had four serpant stars. I have seen baby star fish surfing the current for several months. Today I found a starfish in the fuge. When he gets to be "display" sized, I will move him to the display. They won't help or hurt being in the fuge in general, but the display is where it makes the most sense to keep them. When you get too many, trade them in at your local LFS.

I'd venture to guess what you saw is a brittle star and they are 'display' size, they are in your sandbed and rock work, I've got gazillions of them, they never get much bigger then an 1 1/4 with a center body around 1/16".

kc

[malintner]

Could be, but I happen to know two of my separants had sex. I have lots of babies:)

[zoozimmy]

wow

[trae]

Yea, stick to mini stars and worms. The sand star will consume everything and die of hunger.

[AZDesertRat]

Sand sifting stars are the kiss of death. I had one wipe every living thing out of my 100G DSB in a matter of two months. It took over 6 months of donated cups of live sand and multiple bottles of Ocean Pods to get it back anywhere near where it was originally. Get rid of any sand sifter stars.

[ChrisB]

Are there any other animals that can be added to the "Donot put in fuge" list?

I have invested quite a bit of moolah on bugs and such, and I don't want to screw it up by putting something like a sifting star in there to eat up all my stuff!

I'm glad I read this because I was just contemplating getting a sand sifting star... what about bulldozing snails like the large ceriths and the little n.vibex? Do either one eat bugs?