best sandshifting fish
- Thread starter genzod66
- Start date
waterlogged
Member
Originally Posted by genzod66
what is a good sandsifter that is easy to deal withy,thanx
If you read this months Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine they recommend snails.
what is a good sandsifter that is easy to deal withy,thanx
If you read this months Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine they recommend snails.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Depends on how big your tank is and how deep your sandbed is. No question is just that simple. Please give us some more information and you will get more answers.
apos
Member
No snail I've ever had has gone down into the substrate: they stick to the LR and glass, end of story.
I'm actually kind of frustrated with the issue. The problem I seem to find from reading about each is that most things that eat out of the sand end up eating pretty much everything living in there, and if your tank isn't big enough or you don't have a very solid refugium, there's just not enough time to respawn before the creature dies.
Sand-sifting fish: most will starve to death unless you carefully train them to take supplemental food... in which case they do less sand-sifting
Sand sifting starfish: these starve to death, and fast, because they vacuum up everything living in your substrate in a matter of days. Pretty much a death sentence for the poor guys unless you have a TON of substrate and a refugium.
Cukes: ideal if you can find the right species to survive on what's in your tank, but almost all are still risky as far as causing a cuke nuke (i.e. they get scared, eject their innards, and kill everything in tank)
Seahares: often quietly starve to death
Urchins: pretty good, but can get stuck easily in heavy LR tanks, and often knock live rock around
There doesn't really seem to be a perfect solution. If snails, conches cowries and ablalones would actually go into the substrate and eat, that would be perfect, but often they won't, particularly if you have a gravelly/corally bed (like I do). The glass and LR is just too tempting to them, too easy.
I'm actually kind of frustrated with the issue. The problem I seem to find from reading about each is that most things that eat out of the sand end up eating pretty much everything living in there, and if your tank isn't big enough or you don't have a very solid refugium, there's just not enough time to respawn before the creature dies.
Sand-sifting fish: most will starve to death unless you carefully train them to take supplemental food... in which case they do less sand-sifting
Sand sifting starfish: these starve to death, and fast, because they vacuum up everything living in your substrate in a matter of days. Pretty much a death sentence for the poor guys unless you have a TON of substrate and a refugium.
Cukes: ideal if you can find the right species to survive on what's in your tank, but almost all are still risky as far as causing a cuke nuke (i.e. they get scared, eject their innards, and kill everything in tank)
Seahares: often quietly starve to death
Urchins: pretty good, but can get stuck easily in heavy LR tanks, and often knock live rock around
There doesn't really seem to be a perfect solution. If snails, conches cowries and ablalones would actually go into the substrate and eat, that would be perfect, but often they won't, particularly if you have a gravelly/corally bed (like I do). The glass and LR is just too tempting to them, too easy.
big
Active Member
I see you have a 125. My choice may be a Diamond Goby if you want to have spotless substrate.
The issues with them are the tend to be jumpers ( no issues with mine) quiet home no kids anymore to startle him with noise. We have had ours about a year or so. The do eat a good amount of anything in the substrate (pods included) and they will rearrange the landscaping of your substrate regularly!!
If you have a "DSB" he will make mountains out of it in places. Other than these issues, they are just about unbeatable at keeping the substrate clean. I have never found any combination of snails etc. that can do nearly as good of a job. Plus they are a neat fish to watch work......... Good Luck.... Warren
The issues with them are the tend to be jumpers ( no issues with mine) quiet home no kids anymore to startle him with noise. We have had ours about a year or so. The do eat a good amount of anything in the substrate (pods included) and they will rearrange the landscaping of your substrate regularly!!
waterlogged
Member
Originally Posted by Apos
No snail I've ever had has gone down into the substrate: they stick to the LR and glass, end of story.
I'm actually kind of frustrated with the issue. The problem I seem to find from reading about each is that most things that eat out of the sand end up eating pretty much everything living in there, and if your tank isn't big enough or you don't have a very solid refugium, there's just not enough time to respawn before the creature dies.
Sand-sifting fish: most will starve to death unless you carefully train them to take supplemental food... in which case they do less sand-sifting
Sand sifting starfish: these starve to death, and fast, because they vacuum up everything living in your substrate in a matter of days. Pretty much a death sentence for the poor guys unless you have a TON of substrate and a refugium.
Cukes: ideal if you can find the right species to survive on what's in your tank, but almost all are still risky as far as causing a cuke nuke (i.e. they get scared, eject their innards, and kill everything in tank)
Seahares: often quietly starve to death
Urchins: pretty good, but can get stuck easily in heavy LR tanks, and often knock live rock around
There doesn't really seem to be a perfect solution. If snails, conches cowries and ablalones would actually go into the substrate and eat, that would be perfect, but often they won't, particularly if you have a gravelly/corally bed (like I do). The glass and LR is just too tempting to them, too easy.
Nassarius snails go down in the substrate, end of story.
No snail I've ever had has gone down into the substrate: they stick to the LR and glass, end of story.
I'm actually kind of frustrated with the issue. The problem I seem to find from reading about each is that most things that eat out of the sand end up eating pretty much everything living in there, and if your tank isn't big enough or you don't have a very solid refugium, there's just not enough time to respawn before the creature dies.
Sand-sifting fish: most will starve to death unless you carefully train them to take supplemental food... in which case they do less sand-sifting
Sand sifting starfish: these starve to death, and fast, because they vacuum up everything living in your substrate in a matter of days. Pretty much a death sentence for the poor guys unless you have a TON of substrate and a refugium.
Cukes: ideal if you can find the right species to survive on what's in your tank, but almost all are still risky as far as causing a cuke nuke (i.e. they get scared, eject their innards, and kill everything in tank)
Seahares: often quietly starve to death
Urchins: pretty good, but can get stuck easily in heavy LR tanks, and often knock live rock around
There doesn't really seem to be a perfect solution. If snails, conches cowries and ablalones would actually go into the substrate and eat, that would be perfect, but often they won't, particularly if you have a gravelly/corally bed (like I do). The glass and LR is just too tempting to them, too easy.
Nassarius snails go down in the substrate, end of story.
apos
Member
Then those I will get. 
Though I've never been able to find them in LFS and online they don't seem to sell them in the quantities I want (10 is too many for me, and I don't want the giant fancy ones)
But will they go into CC reliably vs. sand? I got my 55gal as a sort of breakdown/re-setup of someone else's tank (since some surviving critters needed a place to go and fast), with CC substrate already there. I'd much rather have sand, but it's a little late now (unless I can slowly vacuum out the CC and replace it over time without causing too much harm).
Though I've never been able to find them in LFS and online they don't seem to sell them in the quantities I want (10 is too many for me, and I don't want the giant fancy ones) But will they go into CC reliably vs. sand? I got my 55gal as a sort of breakdown/re-setup of someone else's tank (since some surviving critters needed a place to go and fast), with CC substrate already there. I'd much rather have sand, but it's a little late now (unless I can slowly vacuum out the CC and replace it over time without causing too much harm).
mikeyjer
Active Member
Originally Posted by Waterlogged
Nassarius snails go down in the substrate, end of story.
I'm sorry, Nassarius Snails do go into the substrate, IMO they are NOT good sand sifters at all. They're good to move through top layer of the sand, but not enough to do anything. I've kept tons of them in two tanks, neither one was good. But my Zebra Hermit is a different story, I've never kept a hermit that does such wonderful job in keeping the sand bed clean, but I do have to warn you though, they will move things around once they grow big enough, that's the only downside to it. I was told that Black cuke would be a good choice to have since they don't react like the other ones do by nuking your live stock, I haven't tried it so I don't know,,,,been looking for one though....Haven't really push the issue cause one tank, hermit is keeping up with it and the other tank, tangs goes to town picking at stuffs on the sand bed, then the big boys(turbos) goes around on it and hermits and shrimp pick at the rest. Queen conch would be a good one to get too, I've had one before I did the move, it was great to have!!!
Nassarius snails go down in the substrate, end of story.
I'm sorry, Nassarius Snails do go into the substrate, IMO they are NOT good sand sifters at all. They're good to move through top layer of the sand, but not enough to do anything. I've kept tons of them in two tanks, neither one was good. But my Zebra Hermit is a different story, I've never kept a hermit that does such wonderful job in keeping the sand bed clean, but I do have to warn you though, they will move things around once they grow big enough, that's the only downside to it. I was told that Black cuke would be a good choice to have since they don't react like the other ones do by nuking your live stock, I haven't tried it so I don't know,,,,been looking for one though....Haven't really push the issue cause one tank, hermit is keeping up with it and the other tank, tangs goes to town picking at stuffs on the sand bed, then the big boys(turbos) goes around on it and hermits and shrimp pick at the rest. Queen conch would be a good one to get too, I've had one before I did the move, it was great to have!!!
mikeyjer
Active Member
IF you really want a fish, Diamond Goby would be the choice like it was mentioned above, but there are consequences you have to put up with like it was mentioned above. Sometimes they can starve to death and they can be detrimental to a DSB...It's your choice, your call..... Good Luck!
puffy_fish
Member
Maybe I am way off, but do bristle worms help. I read the are an annelids which is what earth worms are so they are essentially airating the sand and probably eating stuff along the way.
kynekke
Member
Originally Posted by Mikeyjer
IF you really want a fish, Diamond Goby would be the choice like it was mentioned above, but there are consequences you have to put up with like it was mentioned above. Sometimes they can starve to death and they can be detrimental to a DSB...It's your choice, your call..... Good Luck!
Also... make sure you have a solid covering (ie, no big breaks in your egg crate). Mine somehow managed to squeeze that long body out of the egg crate after he'd been in the tank for all of about 2 hours. Little carpet diving buggers.
IF you really want a fish, Diamond Goby would be the choice like it was mentioned above, but there are consequences you have to put up with like it was mentioned above. Sometimes they can starve to death and they can be detrimental to a DSB...It's your choice, your call..... Good Luck!
Also... make sure you have a solid covering (ie, no big breaks in your egg crate). Mine somehow managed to squeeze that long body out of the egg crate after he'd been in the tank for all of about 2 hours. Little carpet diving buggers.
waterlogged
Member
Sounds like a lot of controversy. Why not just occasionally lightly vacuum sand instead of a fish or invertebrae to sift sand.
donald
Member
I use a sleeper goby, aka banded sleeper goby aka dragon goby. It's kinda like a ranfords goby but feed entirely off the substrate mine cleans all day long and even trys to clean the junk off the rocks. Plus they are cool as heck to watch sifting the sand thriugh their gills. I have a 25g fuge hooked up to my 55g tank and lots of sand surface area.
sepulatian
Moderator
I had a sand sifting goby (diamond) he sifted wonderfully. They will strip your sand bed though and leave you with sterile sand. If you intend to have a full ecosystem in your tank then go with nassarius snails, bristle worms, and other inverts. If you don't mind sand that is only "live" in bacteria then a diamond goby is the way to go. Be sure you have no open areas in the hood.