This Or This

[fishy55599]

what sand is best out of these 2:

option 1:
http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/CARIB-SEA-DRY-REEF-SAND-MARINE-CORAL-FISH-15LB-BAG-/280635129214?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item4157283d7e

option 2:
http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/CARIB-SEA-LIVE-REEF-SAND-MARINE-CORAL-FISH-20LB-BAG-/280644966759?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item4157be5967

 

[woody88]

Caribsea I've heard is meant to be good so personally i'd go with the first as its cheaper.

The 2nd one is more expensive prob because they're claiming it's 'live'!

 

[fishy55599]

okay, thanks.
a sand sifting starfish would be ok with that im guessing?

 

[Donya]

Always dry sand in bulk - not "live" sand. Your LR will seed it.

a sand sifting starfish would be ok with that im guessing?

Erm...if by "ok" you mean "eventually ok once the DSB in a 100+ gallon tank has fully colonized" then perhaps, but otherwise no. Ornamental and sand-sifting stars simply have a bad track record in aquariums. They usually starve to death slowly over several months to a year due to depleting the sand bed and/or rocks of food depending on the species. Sand-sifters are sometimes considered detrimental to smaller tanks for that reason. Also, since death involves suddenly starting to fall apart one day (echinodrms turn into sludge fast when that happens), they are known for nuking smaller tanks due to the spike in waste. I don't recall how big of a tank you're doing, but unless it's a truely huge one, please avoid stars.

 

[fishy55599]

oh so a ss starfish is not suitable for a 125l?
is there another star that is alright to keep once the tank is mature?

 

[Donya]

oh so a ss starfish is not suitable for a 125l?

I have never heard of one making it past the approximae 1 year threshold in even a few substantially larger tanks, so I would have to say no. Most cases of success beyond that threshold I'm aware of are in massive 100+ gallon systems. The odd smaller success case probably exists, but I would suspect that such cases in a smaller tank would require an awful lot of alterations from a standard community system to suit the star's needs. Some hobbyists have investigated target feeding stars by injecting food into the sand bed, but then you have to be prepared to handle the extra nutrients, which is again harder in smaller tanks.

is there another star that is alright to keep once the tank is mature?

Not really. Exceptions would be Asterina stars, and larger, eat-everything-in-your-tank species like chocolate chip stars. Brittle/serpent stars have a better track record since they tend to be more generalist scavenegers, but they are also often predatory and big ones can be risky with small fish.


EDIT: hit post before I meant to (twice...dangit)

 

[seffieuk]

Can I throw in another sand mix idea, my favourite: Caribsea bahamas, it has shells in it

Seffie x

 

[fishy55599]

Can I throw in another sand mix idea, my favourite: Caribsea bahamas, it has shells in it

Seffie x

i cannot find that

 

[seffieuk]

http/www.cityaquaticscardiff.co.uk/store/caribsea-aragamax-grand-bahama-sand-30-lb-1503.html

Its this one

http/www.coralculture.co.uk/shop/index.php?manufacturers_id=5

Seffie x

 

[Uriel]

I went for the good old Hessian sack-o-sand. Aragonite of course.

 

[fishy55599]

http/www.coralcult...ufacturers_id=5

Seffie x

is there a delivery charge on this one?

 

[woody88]

I have a Sand sifter in my 28G and I keep a close eye on him daily. I am considering taking him back to my lfs tbh as I don't like the thought of him starving. Although I am trying to get a bit of brine shrimp to him daily of a night.

Fascinating to watch tho. Especially when they fall on their backs and flip themselves back over.

 

[fishy55599]

I have a Sand sifter in my 28G and I keep a close eye on him daily. I am considering taking him back to my lfs tbh as I don't like the thought of him starving. Although I am trying to get a bit of brine shrimp to him daily of a night.

Fascinating to watch tho. Especially when they fall on their backs and flip themselves back over.

i think they are so cool, saw them at a LFS .
so it is possible if they are kept fed?
tbh they would starve a lot more at the LFS

 

[woody88]

I have a Sand sifter in my 28G and I keep a close eye on him daily. I am considering taking him back to my lfs tbh as I don't like the thought of him starving. Although I am trying to get a bit of brine shrimp to him daily of a night.

Fascinating to watch tho. Especially when they fall on their backs and flip themselves back over.

i think they are so cool, saw them at a LFS .
so it is possible if they are kept fed?
tbh they would starve a lot more at the LFS

That's the exact reason why I bought one in the end. It wont have much to eat in a holding tank at a lfs so at least in mine I can try and feed it.

But like donya said they ARE meant to be in large tanks with large deep established sand beds that are large enough for the goodies to replenish quickly enough to provide a Continous food source for them. Which is why I'm considering taking mine to a lfs with large marine tanks. Plus the thought of one dying and nuking my tank is not worth the risk of keeping one.

 

[Donya]

Well...people might get upset with me for dragging this issue up, but the problem with buying an animal to "save" it (which can't be proven until at least a year later for stars) is that unless it was an accidental shipment or special order, the LFS will most likely just get another one because the first one sold. Whether we like to think about it or not, purchasing poor-survival-rate animals that happen to be in unsuitable LFS tanks encourages more of the same animals showing up in the same tanks.