Microstars?

[postie]

What does everyone think of purchasing Microstars of the "bristle" variety. Are these stars something one would want in a DSB or not? I'm sure many things come along with live sand, but these are not for sale within sand, just a lot of microstars. Supposedly are sand stirrers, etc...but I have never had experience with them. My tank is newly cycled and ready for about any kind of fish, but the sandbed is not "live" yet...what would happen to these microstars? They are also supposed to multiply VERY rapidly and embed within sand and rocks. What would they eat? There are currently no critters in the new tank, only LR and DSB. This tank will be a complete reef in time....are microstars of the "bristle" variety reefsafe? Thanks in advance

 

[Anonymous]

Yes those little micro bristles are reef safe, and very cute!!! I had a thriving population for a good while, started with just a few, but at one point every time I picked up a rock a group of them would drift out from underneath. I don't see many of them anymore, but I blame that on the fact that I spent a long time barely feeding my tank trying to fight hair algae.

They are delightful little critters, when you get a good population up, you can see their tiny legs poking out of the rocks, waiting for a morsel.

 

[Anonymous]

Yep I have them, as a matter of fact, I catch 5-10 each time I change my filter bag. I trade them for frags or beer, or just give them away to local reefers.

Great addition to the tank IMO

B

 

[postie]

With the tank being newly cycled (3 months old) and not yet housing any critters, what would these stars eat while I allow the tank to mature? By the end of October, I will be putting everything from two small tanks into this new tank (55). But, I don't want to starve the little stars while I wait. Probably next week I will be adding a moderate clean-up crew...with the tank being new, diatoms are the only nuisance so far....but I'm also just using florescents for cycling. I will be putting dual 250 halides on as soon as I receive and install the fan units in the lights. Then I can begin adding nice things to the tank. However....back to the stars...I come and go from the new place, spending only about 3 days a week there now, so what would they eat?

 

[Anonymous]

Throw some fish food in there. They'll eat it.

Food supply will regulate the amount of any population.

take rats for example.

Start with 10 rats.

Feed enough to support 20 rats, you end up with 20 rats. Cut the food supply for only 10 rats, and you end up with 10 rats.

Same with the stars.

I bet there's some stuff on the rocks for them to eat.

B