A
abeandlulu
Guest
does anyone have any experience with sand sifting cucumbers. I am looking to get more of a sand sifting crew cause my sand looks bad. i have 3 or 4 sand sifting stars,but also lookin for detris eaters also
t316
Active Member
I have had one, in the past, but he didn't sift any sand. He stayed on the rocks and glass more than anything else. I traded him because I really didn't educate myself on cucumbers before getting him, and I learned that some can be very toxic to your tank if they die (releasing toxin). The one I had probably was not one of those species, but I didn't want to take the chance.
A better recommendation, depending on your setup, is a diamond goby. Those jokers do some serious sand sifting...
A better recommendation, depending on your setup, is a diamond goby. Those jokers do some serious sand sifting...
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abeandlulu
Guest
i had a sand sifting goby before and he moved all my sand to the back of the tank... I was trying to find something a different
A
abeandlulu
Guest
This is a 265 gallon tank
reefkprz
Active Member
sand sifting starfish are the reason your sand bed looks bad. (in part)
they are predators they eat the benificial microfauna that inhabits your sand be. one star alone can decimate a suprisingly large area. havbing several just wrecks the natural balance of your sand bed and will lead the the eventual starvation of the stars.
you want detritivores not carnivores. bristle worms, serpent stars, proper flow, nassarius vibex snails, and other things that tunr the sand without preying on the animals.
there are a couple sand sifting cucumbers that will help. you want either the black cucumber (Holothuria atra) or tigertail (Holothuria hilla), neither of these are highly toxic, no more ttoxic than a fish of equal mass if it were to die. my first choice would be the black cucumber Holotrhuria Atra. I have several of both types and the black is the more dilligent cleaner of the sand. I would not start with more than 2, if there is ample food and range sometimes they will reproduce asexually. primarily nocturnal dont be suprised if you dont see them out and about a lot during the day, although my black cukes dont seem to know they are nocturnal and crawl all over the place day or night(including the rock work looking for detritus in the crevices that my seastars dont snag)
they are predators they eat the benificial microfauna that inhabits your sand be. one star alone can decimate a suprisingly large area. havbing several just wrecks the natural balance of your sand bed and will lead the the eventual starvation of the stars.
you want detritivores not carnivores. bristle worms, serpent stars, proper flow, nassarius vibex snails, and other things that tunr the sand without preying on the animals.
there are a couple sand sifting cucumbers that will help. you want either the black cucumber (Holothuria atra) or tigertail (Holothuria hilla), neither of these are highly toxic, no more ttoxic than a fish of equal mass if it were to die. my first choice would be the black cucumber Holotrhuria Atra. I have several of both types and the black is the more dilligent cleaner of the sand. I would not start with more than 2, if there is ample food and range sometimes they will reproduce asexually. primarily nocturnal dont be suprised if you dont see them out and about a lot during the day, although my black cukes dont seem to know they are nocturnal and crawl all over the place day or night(including the rock work looking for detritus in the crevices that my seastars dont snag)
A
abeandlulu
Guest
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
http:///forum/post/3130874
sand sifting starfish are the reason your sand bed looks bad. (in part)
they are predators they eat the benificial microfauna that inhabits your sand be. one star alone can decimate a suprisingly large area. havbing several just wrecks the natural balance of your sand bed and will lead the the eventual starvation of the stars.
you want detritivores not carnivores. bristle worms, serpent stars, proper flow, nassarius vibex snails, and other things that tunr the sand without preying on the animals.
there are a couple sand sifting cucumbers that will help. you want either the black cucumber (Holothuria atra) or tigertail (Holothuria hilla), neither of these are highly toxic, no more ttoxic than a fish of equal mass if it were to die. my first choice would be the black cucumber Holotrhuria Atra. I have several of both types and the black is the more dilligent cleaner of the sand. I would not start with more than 2, if there is ample food and range sometimes they will reproduce asexually. primarily nocturnal dont be suprised if you dont see them out and about a lot during the day, although my black cukes dont seem to know they are nocturnal and crawl all over the place day or night(including the rock work looking for detritus in the crevices that my seastars dont snag)
OK so i just purchased 1 sand sifting cucumber 2 serpent stars and 25 nassearius snails they should arrive tomorrow. What should i do with the sand sifting stars. Leave them or remove them?
http:///forum/post/3130874
sand sifting starfish are the reason your sand bed looks bad. (in part)
they are predators they eat the benificial microfauna that inhabits your sand be. one star alone can decimate a suprisingly large area. havbing several just wrecks the natural balance of your sand bed and will lead the the eventual starvation of the stars.
you want detritivores not carnivores. bristle worms, serpent stars, proper flow, nassarius vibex snails, and other things that tunr the sand without preying on the animals.
there are a couple sand sifting cucumbers that will help. you want either the black cucumber (Holothuria atra) or tigertail (Holothuria hilla), neither of these are highly toxic, no more ttoxic than a fish of equal mass if it were to die. my first choice would be the black cucumber Holotrhuria Atra. I have several of both types and the black is the more dilligent cleaner of the sand. I would not start with more than 2, if there is ample food and range sometimes they will reproduce asexually. primarily nocturnal dont be suprised if you dont see them out and about a lot during the day, although my black cukes dont seem to know they are nocturnal and crawl all over the place day or night(including the rock work looking for detritus in the crevices that my seastars dont snag)
OK so i just purchased 1 sand sifting cucumber 2 serpent stars and 25 nassearius snails they should arrive tomorrow. What should i do with the sand sifting stars. Leave them or remove them?
reefkprz
Active Member
you should remove them. take them back for some store credit if you can if not just give them to the pet store. they will prey on things like your spaghetti worms and various other microfauna that inhabit your sand bed. theoreticly your tank could support one of them inderfinatly but your sand bed would never be as as good as it could be as it would always be playing catch up to the decimated regions.
you'll probably want another 25-50 nassarius snails in the long run but your off to a great start.
which cucumber did you get? if your not sure of the species A picture would be great.
you could also add a fighting conch or three, but just be aware they can be aggressive towards males of the same species so you may be best with just one but they are another great sand shifting detritvore.
you'll probably want another 25-50 nassarius snails in the long run but your off to a great start.
which cucumber did you get? if your not sure of the species A picture would be great.
you could also add a fighting conch or three, but just be aware they can be aggressive towards males of the same species so you may be best with just one but they are another great sand shifting detritvore.
A
abeandlulu
Guest
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
http:///forum/post/3131090
you should remove them. take them back for some store credit if you can if not just give them to the pet store. they will prey on things like your spaghetti worms and various other microfauna that inhabit your sand bed. theoreticly your tank could support one of them inderfinatly but your sand bed would never be as as good as it could be as it would always be playing catch up to the decimated regions.
you'll probably want another 25-50 nassarius snails in the long run but your off to a great start.
which cucumber did you get? if your not sure of the species A picture would be great.
you could also add a fighting conch or three, but just be aware they can be aggressive towards males of the same species so you may be best with just one but they are another great sand shifting detritvore.
I am not sure of the species of the cucumber. I will post pics of it tomorrow. It is either black, yellow or grey i think. there were three in the pic and they pick one i guess.%% Ok so i will remove the star fish and take them to the fish store for credit. Thank you for your help.
I just went back and checked it comes in Black, green, or red. Holothuria Floridana Family of holothuriidae. if that is any help
http:///forum/post/3131090
you should remove them. take them back for some store credit if you can if not just give them to the pet store. they will prey on things like your spaghetti worms and various other microfauna that inhabit your sand bed. theoreticly your tank could support one of them inderfinatly but your sand bed would never be as as good as it could be as it would always be playing catch up to the decimated regions.
you'll probably want another 25-50 nassarius snails in the long run but your off to a great start.
which cucumber did you get? if your not sure of the species A picture would be great.
you could also add a fighting conch or three, but just be aware they can be aggressive towards males of the same species so you may be best with just one but they are another great sand shifting detritvore.
I am not sure of the species of the cucumber. I will post pics of it tomorrow. It is either black, yellow or grey i think. there were three in the pic and they pick one i guess.%% Ok so i will remove the star fish and take them to the fish store for credit. Thank you for your help.
I just went back and checked it comes in Black, green, or red. Holothuria Floridana Family of holothuriidae. if that is any help
t316
Active Member
reef...You seriously see your's making any difference on the sand surface? Mine was blackish/puke green color, and what few times he did hit the sand, I couldn't even tell he had passed thru. As mentioned, he spent most of his time in the rocks or on the glass. Do some literally pick up sand and move it (sift/clean)?
A
abeandlulu
Guest
i will try him out and see what happens.
reefkprz
Active Member
Originally Posted by T316
http:///forum/post/3131385
reef...You seriously see your's making any difference on the sand surface? Mine was blackish/puke green color, and what few times he did hit the sand, I couldn't even tell he had passed thru. As mentioned, he spent most of his time in the rocks or on the glass. Do some literally pick up sand and move it (sift/clean)?
mine chows it down and leaves little sand turd balls behind that fall apart in a day leaving clean white sand behind. can watch him doze through it like a weed eater as much going in one end and coming out the other. if he finds a good spot he'll chow till he makes quite a pile of turd balls (clean sand). holothuria atra is the ravenous one always eating and moving. day and night.
http:///forum/post/3131385
reef...You seriously see your's making any difference on the sand surface? Mine was blackish/puke green color, and what few times he did hit the sand, I couldn't even tell he had passed thru. As mentioned, he spent most of his time in the rocks or on the glass. Do some literally pick up sand and move it (sift/clean)?
mine chows it down and leaves little sand turd balls behind that fall apart in a day leaving clean white sand behind. can watch him doze through it like a weed eater as much going in one end and coming out the other. if he finds a good spot he'll chow till he makes quite a pile of turd balls (clean sand). holothuria atra is the ravenous one always eating and moving. day and night.
A
abeandlulu
Guest
well i got my shippment yesterday. The cucumber has already cleaned one corner of the tank. He is very ugly but very cool. The snails went to work right away and the serpents stars found places in the rocks, they havent moved much but some. I think i will get about 50-100 more of the snails. And see how the cucumber works out.
A
abeandlulu
Guest
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
http:///forum/post/3132421
Yeah they are kinda ugly but something about them really apeals to me. my fiancee calls my atra the "poocumber" because it looks like a mobile cat turd.
http:///forum/post/3132421
Yeah they are kinda ugly but something about them really apeals to me. my fiancee calls my atra the "poocumber" because it looks like a mobile cat turd.