Sand Sifting Starfish

[kazj]

I'm new to forums but could you give me so advice?
I started a nano tank just after christmas and have 1 hermit crab, 2 cleaner srimps, 1 turbo snail, 1 sand sifting starfish and some feather duster worms. The problem is, i don't know why but the hermit crab and cleaner srimps have been eating the sand sifting starfish and theres not much left of all of it's legs but its still alive. Will the legs grow back?
Could you help please.

 

[Harry1996]

yes the legs should grow back. but how big is your tank?

 

[seffieuk]

Sand sifting stars shouldnt be kept in anything smaller than five foot imo, they tend to starve in anything smaller I suspect your star is dying and the hermits are just doing their job of cleaning up. The only hope the star has is if you remove him from the tank and spot feed him or give him to someone with a large tank.

Excuse my manners to TFF and the salty side of the forum, we would love to know a bit about you, your tank and your plans

Seffie x

 

[kazj]

yes the legs should grow back. but how big is your tank?

The tank is an ORCA TL-450, 58L/15gal

Sand sifting stars shouldnt be kept in anything smaller than five foot imo, they tend to starve in anything smaller I suspect your star is dying and the hermits are just doing their job of cleaning up. The only hope the star has is if you remove him from the tank and spot feed him or give him to someone with a large tank.

Excuse my manners to TFF and the salty side of the forum, we would love to know a bit about you, your tank and your plans

Seffie x

The sand sifting starfish has lots of food at the moment and i have had the starfish for 2-3 mounths. I'm still trying to stabilise the tank before putting fish in.
I had to go to the local fish shop and they said it might be that the hermit crab and cleaner shrimp aren't getting enough food.

My plans after the tank is stabilised and ready to put either 2 or 4 Clownfish and a Royal Gramma and that will be it as i don't want to over stock the tank.

 

[seffieuk]

They may not be getting enough food if your tank is new but I doubt very much they would eat a healthy star So, I'm afraid I don't agree with them. As for the star having enough food, as I said before, stars need at least five foot of an established sand bed to be able to get enough food, it is likely he is starving to death.

Your tank is too small for two clowns let alone four, a pair require 20 gallons as a minimum but imo need at least 25 gallons.

We would be happy to make some stocking suggesting if you would like? How about posting your stats and some photos

Seffie x

ps i'm sorry if I have across in a negative manner, I, unlike the lfs have nothing to gain from my advice to you

 

[allnew]

I possibly have a similar problem with our sand sifting starfish...it's not getting eaten but is becoming thinner and very lethargic - under the sand 98% of the time with occasional outings up the glass side about once every 10 days.....what I don't get is that it never has travelled along the substrate surface, always goes up the glass so where does it feed?

The tank has been runnng for 4 mnths now and is a 250L redsea max, plenty of algae - only other stock few hermit crabs, 2 cleaner shrims, some snails and 2 clownfish, all biochemical parameters good....

is there anything I can do to save the poor starfish? Am worried he's going to die...

 

[seffieuk]

allnew to TFF and the salty side of the forum.

We would love you to start a thread about your tank and your future plans

Right, the starfish: he will slowly starve to death in a tank your size, he mostly takes his food from the sand bed. If he tends to stay in one place you could try hiding a 1/4 sheet of nori under the sand and see if he finds and eats it. Its very difficult to spot feed stars, but some do, so don't give up hope. However, if he continues to get thinner I would find him a new home in a big tank

Seffie x

ps his habit of only climbing the glass every ten days is perfectly normal