Sand Sifting Starfish

It needs to be able to feed on a varied diet consisting of natural food sources, and does best in a well established marine aquarium. Otherwise,they may quickly clean your aquarium of detritus and then bury themselves into your substrate and possibly, starve, and eventually begin to decay

Common Name(s): Sand Sifting Starfish
Scientific/Other Name(s) : Astropecten Polycanthus
Care Level : Easy (in an established tank)
Maximum Size: 12"
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Reef Safe: Yes
Feeding Requirements: Consumes massive amounts of detritus an uneaten foods from the tank. In the aquarium, it can be fed small pieces of shrimp, fish, urchins, bivalves, or other small starfish
Temperament / Behavior: Peaceful
Other Comments:This nocturnal starfish can move large amounts of sand (hence its name) as it burrows into the substrate in its search for food.
It is a great cleaner of a home aquarium of detritus and left over food. Like other starfish, the Sand Sifting Starfish may also consume small invertebrates, including small shrimp, urchins, mollusks, bivalves, or other small sea stars. It needs to be able to feed on a varied diet consisting of natural food sources, and does best in a well established marine aquarium. Otherwise,they may quickly clean your aquarium of detritus and then bury themselves into your substrate and possibly, starve, and eventually begin to decay.

It is best to keep this starfish in a tank with a large and deep sand bed where it can feed and hide

Like other invertebrates, it cannot tolerate copper-based medications.

To successfully acclimate new specimens to your aquarium, use the drip acclimation method over 2.5 hours and never expose the Sand Sifting Sea Star to air while handling.