Tropical Fish Forums

[dayh8]

anyone had any experience with sand sifting stars? good, bad, ugly?
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[sirreal63]

Too many variables for an easy answer. If your sand bed is 1" or less the stars are good. For deeper substrates they will consume the critters (dentrivores) that consume and break down waste. Even this explanation is very very over simplified. I choose to avoid sand sifting stars and like creatures with the exception of Nassarius snails.
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110 Gallon DSA Pentagon

[dayh8]

I have a 65 gallon, and had an orange diamond goby to help keep the sand stirred up (algae and various 'gunk'). basically, he ran through the sand like a bat out of hell, and decided to do some redecorating with the sand. the sand bed is about 1-1.5 inches. I have two clowns and a firefish, three shrimp (peppermint, skunk, blood) and a pink brittle star who is very happy (I know they can be underfed, but I keep him fat and sassy).

so, now what to do about the algae and detritus on the sand... I am leary of hermit crabs as per my corals (lps and polyps). my reef guru recommends some of the more bland cucumbers since they carry much less - if any - toxins than others, but I am a bit leary about them as well.

I have a sand sifting star in there now (got him a few days ago - realize I should have doen a bit more asking before I him up) but figure I will end up selling him back if I can find something that I can get a concensus on as being good for my problem.

hope this helps you help me! thanks for the input.


a
_________________
So crucify the ego - before it's far too late -
To leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical