Any ideas for sifting?

ifusayso

ifusayso

Member
I don't really have much algae growth, except coraline, and have plenty of snails to eat what I do have. I would like some suggestions for good sifters to add, I prefer not to add any fish though. I have nassarius snails, but not too much sand sifting that I can tell. Am I just not seeing it? I saw on swf.com sand sifting crabs, good choice? I have finely crushed coral substrate(about the same consistancy as the coarse sand). I prefer reef friendly, and size appropriate for 55 gal.
Thanks for your help,
Heather
 
celacanthr

celacanthr

Active Member
I have to disagree, I am like 90% sure queen conch's are reef safe. But they do get very large, and are quite "clumsy", so they are probably gonna knock down your rock unless it is a fairly large tank. Fighting conch's are better, if you llike conch's. I wouldn't go for the crab, I think it actually eats the tiny sifters you already have in your tank.
 
jafrench

jafrench

Member
Maybe a Tiger Cucumber. I don't have any experience but I have read they are great sifters. Anyone with experience please chime in? I would like one for the same reason but am looking for someone with cuke experiences. Thanks
 
cabot

cabot

Member
I should not have posted because I don't have personal experience with them. But, what I have heard is that they will knock over your rocks. If those are stable..........go for it. Sounds that everyone that has one has enjoyed theirs!
 
angelsrock

angelsrock

Member
the queen conch is def reef safe and so is the fighting conch. the queen is clumsy though like above said. you could also try a horseshoe crab. most of them start out small in the stores and it takes a while for them to get big, at which point you could sell them for more babies. you'll hardly ever see them though as they stay under the sand most of the time. peanut worms are very good for your sand as they eat all the bad stuff including waste, you'll hardly ever see these as well.
 
ifusayso

ifusayso

Member
I did forget to mention I have a conch(not queen or fighting) per the lfs, it is about the size of a nickel in length and conch shaped of course. Not sure what kind it is though. I have nassarius snails as well. I'm not too sure about something that gets big or would knock over rock. My damsels are clumsy enough, running into my pagoda cup.
 
ifusayso

ifusayso

Member
Originally Posted by angelsrock
the queen conch is def reef safe and so is the fighting conch. the queen is clumsy though like above said. you could also try a horseshoe crab. most of them start out small in the stores and it takes a while for them to get big, at which point you could sell them for more babies. you'll hardly ever see them though as they stay under the sand most of the time. peanut worms are very good for your sand as they eat all the bad stuff including waste, you'll hardly ever see these as well.

I'm a bit concerned about something that get too large as the queen conch. I was just reading about these on swf.com description. I have 3 turbos and it was saying they are similar in behavior to them. My largest is the size of a golf ball, but although somewhat clumsy has caused any problems. I couldn't find max size for the queen conch, do you know? How big is the one you have?
Can you tell me more about peanut worms? Where do you get them, any cons to having them? I think the waste eating is a big pro for the worm.
 
ifusayso

ifusayso

Member
Originally Posted by unleashed
I have a sand sifting goby not very cute but highly effective he keeps my cc very clean
I have cc too, that's my problem I guess. I only have about a 2 inch bed, but nass. snails and the one small conch I have only go as deep as 1/2 inch down.
Does that goby get deeper down in the cc?
 
ifusayso

ifusayso

Member
Originally Posted by jafrench
Maybe a Tiger Cucumber. I don't have any experience but I have read they are great sifters. Anyone with experience please chime in? I would like one for the same reason but am looking for someone with cuke experiences. Thanks

Hmm, that sounds interesting too. Would love to hear anyone's opinions on this too.
 
ifusayso

ifusayso

Member
Originally Posted by CELACANTHr
I have to disagree, I am like 90% sure queen conch's are reef safe. But they do get very large, and are quite "clumsy", so they are probably gonna knock down your rock unless it is a fairly large tank. Fighting conch's are better, if you llike conch's. I wouldn't go for the crab, I think it actually eats the tiny sifters you already have in your tank.
Oh wow, thanks for telling me about the crab...don't want to hurt anything helping with the sifting.
I just read on swf.com that the tank size for the fighting conch should be 100 gal...mine's only 55. Maybe I should stay away from that one.
 
angelsrock

angelsrock

Member
Originally Posted by ifusayso
I'm a bit concerned about something that get too large as the queen conch. I was just reading about these on swf.com description. I have 3 turbos and it was saying they are similar in behavior to them. My largest is the size of a golf ball, but although somewhat clumsy has caused any problems. I couldn't find max size for the queen conch, do you know? How big is the one you have?
Can you tell me more about peanut worms? Where do you get them, any cons to having them? I think the waste eating is a big pro for the worm.
queen conch get about 14 inches i thnk, but it takes a while for them to get that big. the peanut worms i have seen for sale but i can't remember where, you'll have to look for them. there really isn't any downside to them, they look kinda like an earthworm except one side is usually a lot bigger than the other side of it
 
celacanthr

celacanthr

Active Member
I think fighting conchs are fine in a 55...actually, how big is your sand bed, not including the part with rocks on it. Fighting conchs only get like 4 inches, I think.
 
ifusayso

ifusayso

Member
Originally Posted by CELACANTHr
I think fighting conchs are fine in a 55...actually, how big is your sand bed, not including the part with rocks on it. Fighting conchs only get like 4 inches, I think.

At its deepest areas 2 inches. I have some type of conch, but it is very small it does pretty good but basically stays on the surface.
I'm confused about the description SWF.com, it says the fighting conch is a jumbo conch that should be kept in 100 gal or more tank...is there more than one type of fighting conch?
 
oozy

oozy

Member
tigertail cuke
i had one for a 20g reef, it kept my sandbed super clean. it actualy asexualed after growing ~10". then i had 2.
im going to get another for my new 45g.
-oozy-
 
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