suggestions on sand cleaners/sifters

DirtyDeeds · 02/08/2010, 09:05 PM

i got a 28 gal tank. my sand is starting to look a little ugly

wondering whats a good critter or fish to clean / sift the sand around. i have a pistal shrimp that does ok but he leave 50% of the tank undone

any suggestion plz something that is friendly and wont pick at coral or my shrimps

Octoshark · 02/08/2010, 09:28 PM

Nassarius snails are great at mixing up the sand; they burrow in it.

bertoni · 02/08/2010, 10:06 PM

I agree that a couple of Nassarius snails might help a bit. Nutrient control might work better. Does the tank have any snails, like cerith, that are likely to clean algae on the sand?

DirtyDeeds · 02/08/2010, 10:17 PM

all i got are 4 turbo snails. there usally always on the rocks or back of the glass

warnutts · 02/08/2010, 11:49 PM

perhaps a sand sifting star or goby? my orange one does a great job keeping my sand clean but he did cause sand storms for 2 weeks (not has stopped) and 1 rock slide....

Sunken3 · 02/08/2010, 11:54 PM

diamond gobies are great.. jaw fish (blue spot is a favorite).. also cucumbers and the sandsifting star are good (though i've heard the star can deplete your sand).. not sure..

Jarred1 · 02/09/2010, 05:27 AM

blue spots get really big i got a 30g and wish i had gotten a diamond goby. Id personally go with this: Orange Spotted goby

Ron Reefman · 02/09/2010, 05:52 AM

I have an engineer goby that digs tunnels in the sand under the rocks. He moves quite a bit of sand around and looks so much like an eel rather than a fish... very cool!

Ron[/I]

bertoni · 02/09/2010, 04:11 PM

Sandsifting starfish starve to death in our tanks. I would try a couple of cerith snails and work from there. If you like goby fishes, they can be fun, if you have room in your tank, but they sometimes make a mess with sand.

TNTFISHY · 02/09/2010, 04:35 PM

2 twin spot(4 wheel drive gobies). They are not too big and interesting to watch. I have a diamond goby in my biocube 29, but he's a bit much. Nasarrius snails are great, and awake from the dead as soon as food hits the tank bottom.

wab · 02/09/2010, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

sandsifting starfish starve to death in our tanks. I would try a couple of cerith snails and work from there. If you like goby fishes, they can be fun, if you have room in your tank, but they sometimes make a mess with sand.

+++++1

eric@tampa · 02/09/2010, 05:26 PM

If you go with a goby make sure he eats food other than just sifting,in a small take he could clean it up in no time and start to starve.My LFS talked me out of one for just that reason or you could get one and after he cleans everything take him back for store credit.I just stuck with the misc. snails.

mndfreeze · 02/09/2010, 06:39 PM

Get snails first. My nassarius help a ton.

02/08/2010, 09:05 PM	#1
DirtyDeeds Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Canada,Ontario,Hamilton Posts: 94	suggestions on sand cleaners/sifters i got a 28 gal tank. my sand is starting to look a little ugly wondering whats a good critter or fish to clean / sift the sand around. i have a pistal shrimp that does ok but he leave 50% of the tank undone any suggestion plz something that is friendly and wont pick at coral or my shrimps

02/08/2010, 09:28 PM	#2
Octoshark Marine Biology Student Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: California Posts: 1,366	Nassarius snails are great at mixing up the sand; they burrow in it. __________________ "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."

02/08/2010, 10:06 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I agree that a couple of Nassarius snails might help a bit. Nutrient control might work better. Does the tank have any snails, like cerith, that are likely to clean algae on the sand? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/09/2010, 04:11 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Sandsifting starfish starve to death in our tanks. I would try a couple of cerith snails and work from there. If you like goby fishes, they can be fun, if you have room in your tank, but they sometimes make a mess with sand. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/08/2010, 10:17 PM	#4
DirtyDeeds Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Canada,Ontario,Hamilton Posts: 94	all i got are 4 turbo snails. there usally always on the rocks or back of the glass

02/08/2010, 11:49 PM	#5
warnutts Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 156	perhaps a sand sifting star or goby? my orange one does a great job keeping my sand clean but he did cause sand storms for 2 weeks (not has stopped) and 1 rock slide....

02/08/2010, 11:54 PM	#6
Sunken3 Registered Member. Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: OC CA Posts: 161	diamond gobies are great.. jaw fish (blue spot is a favorite).. also cucumbers and the sandsifting star are good (though i've heard the star can deplete your sand).. not sure..

02/09/2010, 05:27 AM	#7
Jarred1 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: West Palm Beach, FL Posts: 1,262	blue spots get really big i got a 30g and wish i had gotten a diamond goby. Id personally go with this: Orange Spotted goby

02/09/2010, 05:52 AM	#8
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	I have an engineer goby that digs tunnels in the sand under the rocks. He moves quite a bit of sand around and looks so much like an eel rather than a fish... very cool! Ron[/I]

02/09/2010, 04:35 PM	#10
TNTFISHY Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 250	2 twin spot(4 wheel drive gobies). They are not too big and interesting to watch. I have a diamond goby in my biocube 29, but he's a bit much. Nasarrius snails are great, and awake from the dead as soon as food hits the tank bottom.

02/09/2010, 05:26 PM	#12
eric@tampa Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Tampa,Fla Posts: 322	If you go with a goby make sure he eats food other than just sifting,in a small take he could clean it up in no time and start to starve.My LFS talked me out of one for just that reason or you could get one and after he cleans everything take him back for store credit.I just stuck with the misc. snails.

02/09/2010, 06:39 PM	#13
mndfreeze Invert Sexy Time! Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tempe, AZ Posts: 2,255	Get snails first. My nassarius help a ton.