good sand sifters?

Cahooligan · 04/28/2010, 06:27 PM

Ok I have a 29g soon to be reef and a 75 reef both with sand beds. 29 has roughly 4 inches, 75 has roughly 2 inches. All live sand. What do you recommend to move the sand around? Both tanks are too small for a sand sifting star. Nassarios snails don't really stir it up etc any suggestions? I was told to get a fighting conch for the 29. any ideas. Thanks.

b_s_c1 · 04/28/2010, 07:08 PM

I am getting two fighting conchs in on Friday. I will be able to tell you more about them then. Hope they do the job everyone says they do.

Cahooligan · 04/28/2010, 07:13 PM

Ok thanks

thebkramer · 04/28/2010, 07:25 PM

My fighting conch is the least helpful with sand sifting lol
Maybe its just cause he is still real small, about 1in.
There are sand sifting gobies, jawfish or maybe a sand sifting cucumber??
I LOVE my tigertail, but, he needs a bigger tank. My 55g will eventually be too small for him

listen2bob · 04/28/2010, 07:28 PM

my pistol shrimp keeps the sand moving around my tank. Why will you not have room for a sand sifting star?

jasob · 04/28/2010, 07:29 PM

My favorite so far has been a diamond spot goby. Unfortunately mine jumped out so you may want to consider doing a net or screen over the tank.

Cahooligan · 04/28/2010, 07:35 PM

Yea I want to stay away from gobies b/c they just put sand everywhere

ksweat · 04/29/2010, 08:31 AM

My twin spotted goby was a beast (R.I.P. Dozer) lol. I have a 30gl long and he kept the sand looking awesome. He was small about 2" and about three weeks ago he went "missing" and my sand has been crappy ever since.

shaggss · 04/29/2010, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Both tanks are too small for a sand sifting star.

Quote:

Why will you not have room for a sand sifting star?

Interested to know the answer as well? How small is considered too small?

VtheMaestro · 04/29/2010, 08:51 AM

my fighting conch turns things over and my blue spot jawfish makes a mess. I got a hermit with a nice big shell, he leaves a clean trail in his wake

Sugar Magnolia · 04/29/2010, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaggss

Interested to know the answer as well? How small is considered too small?

Because their main diet is the microfauna in a sand bed. Once they deplete the microfauna in the sand bed, they slowly starve to death.

My tiger pistol is the main sand sifter in my tank, but I also have a few large tongan nassarius snails that help keep things stirred up.

Cahooligan · 04/29/2010, 01:01 PM

Yea sand sifting stars are only really suitable for major tanks withe a huge sand bed

RVANANO · 04/29/2010, 01:24 PM

Everyone says this about sand sifting stars. I had 2 in my 34 gallon for almost 2 years. One is still alive and one was eaten by my clown shrimp when I had them. I disagree with anyone who says small tanks are no good for sand sifting stars.

My current tank (120) only has about 1" of sand and the sand sifter has been doing fine for a few months now. I have had him for over 2 years total.

fiorano7 · 04/29/2010, 01:29 PM

I would go with a tigertail. i had one in my 125. He split and now i have 4 tigertails and a sand sifting star for around 2 years now

04/28/2010, 06:27 PM	#1
Cahooligan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Jersey Posts: 339	good sand sifters? Ok I have a 29g soon to be reef and a 75 reef both with sand beds. 29 has roughly 4 inches, 75 has roughly 2 inches. All live sand. What do you recommend to move the sand around? Both tanks are too small for a sand sifting star. Nassarios snails don't really stir it up etc any suggestions? I was told to get a fighting conch for the 29. any ideas. Thanks.

04/28/2010, 07:25 PM	#4
thebkramer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 3,198	My fighting conch is the least helpful with sand sifting lol Maybe its just cause he is still real small, about 1in. There are sand sifting gobies, jawfish or maybe a sand sifting cucumber?? I LOVE my tigertail, but, he needs a bigger tank. My 55g will eventually be too small for him __________________ Rhonda There is NO such things as Dumb Questions!! There are However.. Dumb Answers!!! ;) ____________ Current Tank Info: 55g reef....Current Orbit SunPaq Lights, HOB Eshopps, HOB AquaClear 110, 2-1400 Koralia Powerheads & 1 Nano Koralia, 40+ lbs LR, 2" LS

04/28/2010, 07:29 PM	#6
jasob Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 59	My favorite so far has been a diamond spot goby. Unfortunately mine jumped out so you may want to consider doing a net or screen over the tank. __________________ Jason Current Tank Info: 29 Gallon/10 gallon refugium/sum

04/29/2010, 01:29 PM	#14
fiorano7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: abbotsford BC Posts: 26	I would go with a tigertail. i had one in my 125. He split and now i have 4 tigertails and a sand sifting star for around 2 years now __________________ reefs = life on earth Current Tank Info: 14 gallon biocube with panorama pro led mod

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04/28/2010, 07:08 PM	#2
b_s_c1 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Victoria, Texas Posts: 466	I am getting two fighting conchs in on Friday. I will be able to tell you more about them then. Hope they do the job everyone says they do.

04/28/2010, 07:13 PM	#3
Cahooligan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Jersey Posts: 339	Ok thanks

04/28/2010, 07:28 PM	#5
listen2bob - David Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: North Tampa Posts: 776	my pistol shrimp keeps the sand moving around my tank. Why will you not have room for a sand sifting star?

04/28/2010, 07:35 PM	#7
Cahooligan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Jersey Posts: 339	Yea I want to stay away from gobies b/c they just put sand everywhere

04/29/2010, 08:31 AM	#8
ksweat Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Destrehan, LA Posts: 72	My twin spotted goby was a beast (R.I.P. Dozer) lol. I have a 30gl long and he kept the sand looking awesome. He was small about 2" and about three weeks ago he went "missing" and my sand has been crappy ever since.

04/29/2010, 08:51 AM	#10
VtheMaestro Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Atlanta Posts: 234	my fighting conch turns things over and my blue spot jawfish makes a mess. I got a hermit with a nice big shell, he leaves a clean trail in his wake

04/29/2010, 01:01 PM	#12
Cahooligan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Jersey Posts: 339	Yea sand sifting stars are only really suitable for major tanks withe a huge sand bed

04/29/2010, 01:24 PM	#13
RVANANO SWAGON Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,404	Everyone says this about sand sifting stars. I had 2 in my 34 gallon for almost 2 years. One is still alive and one was eaten by my clown shrimp when I had them. I disagree with anyone who says small tanks are no good for sand sifting stars. My current tank (120) only has about 1" of sand and the sand sifter has been doing fine for a few months now. I have had him for over 2 years total.