Starfish Ideas

[jellifishi]

I am having trouble keeping up with all the fish waste that my Coral Beauty likes to produce....I am debating getting a starfish as part of my cleanup crew but so many forums have different opinions on which starfish do best at whatever thing. I wanted to be able to describe my aquarium and get some thoughts as to what would be best to help me battle the weekly poo cleanup process! Also, please let me know your thoughts on quarantine for the starfish? I have read a lot of different opinions, mostly those arguing against quarantine and just putting them in main tank and letting them work away!

Tank:
32g Biocube with sand bedding
2 Powerheads (One top and one bottom to flow everything towards back filters)
Medium live rock structure in the middle with some hides placed
1 Coral Beauty Angel, 1 Yellowtail Damsel, 1 Clownfish (Yes, surprisingly everyone gets along)
2 Nassarius snails, 5 small Blue leg hermit crabs

 

[exnisstech]

I don't know of any and sifting starfish that thrive in our tanks except astrina. Everything I've read states they starve in our tanks unless you can meet their special needs. I don't think they really should be added as part of a cuc. Perhaps @livinlifeinBKK can comment? He is very knowledgeable on starfish.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I don't know that any starfish would be useful for that, honestly.

Brittle starfish (which are ophiuroids rather than asteroids) and Aquilonastra starfish (known in the hobby as Asterina starfish) do well in our tanks and are sometimes considered clean up crew, but I wouldn't expect these to breakdown fish poop.

True (tropical) starfish (asteroids) aside from Aquilonastra stars starve in our tanks within ~8-13 months with very few exceptions. I would not recommend trying to keep any of them at this point, especially not to act as a clean up crew member.

 

[jellifishi]

@ISpeakForTheSeas @exnisstech If it weren't a starfish, is there anything else that may help me with this issue? Besides my own cleaning, of course.

 

[PharmrJohn]

You could try more Nass snails. Perhaps 15 more of the smaller variety. Those little dudes process fish waste.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

@ISpeakForTheSeas @exnisstech If it weren't a starfish, is there anything else that may help me with this issue? Besides my own cleaning, of course.

I'm not sure, honestly. Possibly a sand-sifting sea cucumber? Those come with some risk of their own though.