Sand shifting ?

rbrockm1

Active Member
what is a fish that does a good job at shifting sand and eating the algea off of it? I don't want another sand shifting starfish, So any ideas
 

bobwire

Member
Well I don't know about eating it off the sand, but I have a Golden Strip Maroon Clownfish that keeps mine stirred. In fact he is driving me crazy!!! He moves all of the sand from his little area until he is to the glass. Then he moves to other parts of the tank. He will get the sand about 3-4 inches in the front. Makes my tank look horrible. Not to mention that on his really active days, the Ammonia level spikes like crazy. I wish there was something to stop him. Anyway, if you don't mind a very over active fish. The GSM will keep your sand stirred.
Wait what am I saying...... Don't get a GSM! I hear the engineer gobies do good. LOL
 

nick76

Active Member
Everybody tells me a Diamond Golby is a very good sand sifter, so far ive been using a Conch to sift my sand in my 55 and hes doing a great job.
 

1journeyman

Active Member
Originally Posted by Nick76
Everybody tells me a Diamond Golby is a very good sand sifter, so far ive been using a Conch to sift my sand in my 55 and hes doing a great job.
Careful... there is a difference between a sand "shifter" and "sifter".
For sand beds, shifters are beneficial.Sifters are not. Sifters eat all of the beneficial critters out of your sand bed.
Shifters=Nass Snails, Engineer Gobies, some stars, Jawfish (any of the burrowing ones), pistol shrimps, etc.
 

reefkprz

Active Member
try a sand sifting cucumber. they will shift and sift but becareful if it dies its a real big polluter.
 

wodave

Member
Horse crab is doing a nice job. The only problem is that it grows big! I got one in my 90 gallon tank.
What was the problem with your sand sifting starfish? I was thinking to get one...
 

hatessushi

Active Member
I have a Diamond goby that seems to be shifting and sifting the sand. I thought they were sifters. Which are they considered?
In either case he does a supurb job.
 

sharkboy13

Active Member
Originally Posted by Wodave
Horse crab is doing a nice job. The only problem is that it grows big! I got one in my 90 gallon tank.
What was the problem with your sand sifting starfish? I was thinking to get one...
sand sifting stars die very quick (w/in a year) usually of lack of food (algae) mine who was a great part of my tank just died recently of my ammonia spike
 

1journeyman

Active Member
Horse shoe crabs are bad purchases. They grow huge and are not good choices for marine tanks.
Diamond Gobies are "sifters". The do move a lot of sand; but at the expense of eating all of your micro life in your sand.
I don't know anything about the sand sifting stars or cucumbers.
 
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