Sand sifting starfish

[gmit]

Hi everyone
I have a question relating to my sand sifter starfish. I would like to know how well they tolerate other marine fish. I ask this because I had a Psychedelic Mandarin - Dragonet fish in the tank and I've not seen it for two weeks. I know when night came the fish used to make a small burrow in the sand till morning. I suspect the starfish might have eaten him, is this possible? I was under the impression the starfish wouldn't eat the marine fish larger than an inch!!
Hope someone can help me soon as I don't want other inhabitants of my tank to disappear.


Why is it always the favourite and best-looking fish that disappear.......?

 

[Navarre]

I have 2 sandsifters in my tank and i have never known them to predate on fish.
I have a few fish that like to burrow in the sand, a Silty Wrasse and a Banana Wrasse, i havea couple of 6 line wrasses aslo but i dont know if they burrow in sand at night. Sandsifters are voracious predators but this is usually small worms and copopods etc. I would say its far more liekly that the madarin fell ill and was finished off by bristle worms or any shrimps in the tank. Madarins cover themselves in a sort of mucus and this makes them tastes aweful to most predators. this is why they are usually ignored by others fish and why madarins will swim around minding their own business.

 

[gmit]

Well thats put my mind at rest I feared the starfish would be a problem. Thanks

 

[Navarre]

Just a word of caution about them though. NEVER put a sandsifter in a tank with e DSB (unless the dsb isin the sump). If they are placed in a DSB they will easily sterilise it for you in a short period of time.

 

[gmit]

Hmm could be a problem that then, my tank is only 3ft with about 4" of sand bed at the bottom. The starfish was bought to keep the sand moving to stop algae growing but I'm beginning to feel buying the starfish wasn't a good idea. Since getting the starfish I have had one fish disappear and a couple of small hermit crabs. This may be down to them getting ill but not sure. What do you suggest I should get to keep the algae growing on the sand rather than the sand sifter? I have heard of something called Nassarius snails, what are they?

 

[Navarre]

OK if your running a DSB in the tank then get the starfish out asap They will destroy the delicate balance of the DSB and make it sterile, thus making it useless for its job of filtration

Cerith Snails, IO SNails, and Nassarius snails will do a great job. They will turn the sand over nicely.
Not sure if you mentioned the size of your tank but a Banana wrasse will do th esame as they will dive into and out of the sand keeping it moving.

Lastly, the hardest workhorse are the gobies. These industrious little devils will move entire tanks of sand in no time.. the down side of this is that they can move the sand where you dont want it so perhaps its not a great idea for a DSB )

 

[gmit]

I thought as much, the starfish has to go! Its a pity really cus I was getting used to it walking over the sand then burying itself, the kids love it too but I'm afraid its back to the shop with it!!
I will do my homework on my next purchase. Thanks for the help.

 

[superman]

I don't see how it can make the sand bed sterile? Do you mean that it will kill anaerobic bacteria by airating the sandbed? Please explain your view is new to me.

 

[Navarre]

No, the starfish will not eat or kill the bacteria (directly). A sandsifter starfish is a voracious predator and hunts things like pods and othe rsmall inverts that burrow into the sand thus makeing it sterile (of life such aas these burrowing animals).

NOw a sandbed needs these animals to operate properly. copopods, amphipods, bristleworms etc, these all burrow into the sand and turns the sand over allowing bacteria to occupy the top layer of sand making it a great place for aerobic bacteria. Deeper down is where the anaerobic bacteria live but the DSB needs a good balance to work properly. if the sand is devoid of pod life to creat a rich aerobic environment then the dseepr levels wont be able to be of much use. This its not advisable to use any form of predator that eats creatures in the sand )

 

[13thmonkey]

Navarre, or anyone else who knows. after reading what you have written i wonder what a reverse flow UGF would do to a DSB?

 

[Navarre]

damage it badly. in fact dont do it.

 

[13thmonkey]

forward flow as well?

 

[afmo]

this thread caught my interest, so sorry to butt in, but i wanna snag some knowledge.

since a DSB isnt good for a sand sifting star, what depth sand bed should you keep for a sifting star?