Sandsifters

[pufferfreak]

What is supposedly the best sand sifter for a smaller tank. I have heard of using starfish, special hermit crabs, and conchs.

 

[colorado_reef]

I have a green brittle star and haven't had any problems.

 

[nm reef]

For shifting the sand itself I like bristle worms and small brittle stars....pods of all sorts....the micro fauna that lives in a dsb does a good job...for the surface I have scarlet and blue leg hermits.....I've avoided sand sifting stars because from what I hear they will deplete the micro fauna that we want in the dsb......

 

[lerch]

I have had a green brittle star and a horseshoe crab and I wasn't impressed with either one. The horseshoe was just about the most stressful thing on eart to watch if he came out of the sand and tried to swim around, also he would knock over rocks. The brittle star was a okay scavenger but all he did was stay under a rock. If you want to keep the surface of your sand clean then I would get a dragon goby (not a gold head goby). They clean sand GREAT.

 

[wamp]

I have a sand star. He burries himself in the sand and moves it all over the tank. He is the best stirrer I have ever owned.

 

[adrian]

I agree with NM, pods, mini brittles, and bristle worms are great sifters. I also like the sand mopping cukes, and nassarius snails. Things like sand sifting gobies, stars, and horseshoe crabs that feed on the previously mentioned organisms usually descimate the population and slowly starve within a few months in all but the largest tanks. HTH