Sand Sifter and CUC

Chago09 · 09/06/2008, 06:54 PM

Ok in another thread I posted how my 4" watchman goby died and caused hell in my tank. Alot of phosphate and nitrate, causing my Powder blue tang to get ich and now I have this stringy algae everywhere.

1.) Whats a great sand sifter??? something that makes sure the sand is always white and stirred. My watchman did a great job at this but I dont think there was enough food for him and he starved. Is there something that is a bit smaller that does not need as much food???

2.) Whats a good CUC specie that would eat carcases?? detritus??? and other left over food??

My CUC was a cleaner shrimp, my ex wacthman goby and about a dozen large turbo snails. What else should I add to make my tank a better enviroment?? reef safe obvoiusly

Chevymacjr87 · 09/06/2008, 07:10 PM

If I were you, depending on how much algae you had growing in your tank I would throw anywhere between 3-6 small hermit crabs in your tank to keep your sand clean. If you want to stay away from hermits then you could always go with bandit goby. They stay about the same size as your watchman only trouble you're going to run into is the lack of food. Just wandering what chemicals are you adding to your tank on a regular basis and what are you feeding to your fish in that tank?

HappySkittles · 09/06/2008, 07:14 PM

maybe a pistol shrimp and a goby?
if you are worried about the food try target feeding it with a turkey baster

the goby and the shrimp will also pair up (we have a tiger pistol and a yellow watchman goby)
they do lots of digging/stirring up the sand and are amusing to watch

you just have to make sure your live rock is all secured/touches the bottom of the tank

Vauche · 09/06/2008, 08:31 PM

You could alway add some Nassarius Vibex snails. They only it detritus (no algea) but the bury themselves in the sand and pop up when you feed the tank thus stirring the sand. Buggers are quick to dead meals as well. If you can find bristle worms somewhere those I hear are extremely effecient at cleaning up dead things.

singold · 09/06/2008, 10:43 PM

Brittlestars are good scavengers also. Just stay away from the green ones.

gulfstream · 09/06/2008, 11:19 PM

One of the quickest sand sifters I have found and I have kept for over a year is a Bullet goby,or commonly known sleeper goby......this guy has managed to keep my sandbed very nice and white.....However there is a cost........they sort of spray sand on top of corals which are sitting on the sandbed floor and get a bit large in few years..
If willing to keep this fish and have a large tank,I would go with
this fish any time.........by far the fastest cleaner of sand out there.

09/06/2008, 06:54 PM	#1
Chago09 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Georgetown Posts: 1,132	Sand Sifter and CUC Ok in another thread I posted how my 4" watchman goby died and caused hell in my tank. Alot of phosphate and nitrate, causing my Powder blue tang to get ich and now I have this stringy algae everywhere. 1.) Whats a great sand sifter??? something that makes sure the sand is always white and stirred. My watchman did a great job at this but I dont think there was enough food for him and he starved. Is there something that is a bit smaller that does not need as much food??? 2.) Whats a good CUC specie that would eat carcases?? detritus??? and other left over food?? My CUC was a cleaner shrimp, my ex wacthman goby and about a dozen large turbo snails. What else should I add to make my tank a better enviroment?? reef safe obvoiusly __________________ Currently no tank!

09/06/2008, 07:14 PM	#3
HappySkittles Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 401	maybe a pistol shrimp and a goby? if you are worried about the food try target feeding it with a turkey baster the goby and the shrimp will also pair up (we have a tiger pistol and a yellow watchman goby) they do lots of digging/stirring up the sand and are amusing to watch you just have to make sure your live rock is all secured/touches the bottom of the tank __________________ RESEARCH! <º)))>< Very important Sexy Blog? Click the red house! Current Tank Info: 3 gallon pico-zoas, gorgonian, mushrooms, nass snails and sexy shrimp

09/06/2008, 10:43 PM	#5
singold Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lake Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 1,827	Brittlestars are good scavengers also. Just stay away from the green ones. __________________ "If there is no wind.....row." Current Tank Info: 75gal Reef w/29gal Refugium

09/06/2008, 07:10 PM	#2
Chevymacjr87 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 2	If I were you, depending on how much algae you had growing in your tank I would throw anywhere between 3-6 small hermit crabs in your tank to keep your sand clean. If you want to stay away from hermits then you could always go with bandit goby. They stay about the same size as your watchman only trouble you're going to run into is the lack of food. Just wandering what chemicals are you adding to your tank on a regular basis and what are you feeding to your fish in that tank?

09/06/2008, 08:31 PM	#4
Vauche Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 340	You could alway add some Nassarius Vibex snails. They only it detritus (no algea) but the bury themselves in the sand and pop up when you feed the tank thus stirring the sand. Buggers are quick to dead meals as well. If you can find bristle worms somewhere those I hear are extremely effecient at cleaning up dead things.

09/06/2008, 11:19 PM	#6
gulfstream Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Ottawa,Ontario.Canada Posts: 110	One of the quickest sand sifters I have found and I have kept for over a year is a Bullet goby,or commonly known sleeper goby......this guy has managed to keep my sandbed very nice and white.....However there is a cost........they sort of spray sand on top of corals which are sitting on the sandbed floor and get a bit large in few years.. If willing to keep this fish and have a large tank,I would go with this fish any time.........by far the fastest cleaner of sand out there.