Should I add a better sand sifter to my CUC?

[cajonez]

Right now my CUC consists of about 8 dwarf hermits, 3 astrea snails, 2 nassarius snails, 2 cleaner shrimp and a pistol shrimp (not sure if the shrimp are really included in the CUC but...). This is in a 55g.
Nothing really seems to be churning the sandbed much. The pistol is making the sand look like swiss cheese, but only at the base of my LR. The 2 nassarius snails haven't moved in 2-3 days, I can only see their trunk poking out of the sand.
Should I look into a new addition? Maybe more nassarius snails or some sandsifting crabs?

 

[meowzer]

Try more nassarius, some cerith, and a fighting conch

 

[egill]

I had the same problem until I bought a sand sifting goby. Sand is nice and white everyday now.

 

[sharkbait35]

Why not get a sand sifting starfish. I used to have one it used to do a good job of cleaning up my sand bed.

 

[king_neptune]

Originally Posted by cajonez
http:///forum/post/3131925
Nothing really seems to be churning the sandbed much. The pistol is making the sand look like swiss cheese, but only at the base of my LR.
At least you get to see it. I put mine in and waved good bye to $25 last week. Never saw him again.
In fact haven't seen my yellow watchman goby since the second day either, so much for a cool symbiotic pair. good by $60's spent on what was supposed to be cool to watch.
As for sand sifting, look into a horseshoe crab. They root around in the dirt a lot.

 

[cajonez]

Hmmn...I think my tank is too small for a fighting conch and starfish scare me a little bit because my tank hasn't been established for very long (only about 3.5 months). More snails and/or the goby seem like posibilities.

 

[cajonez]

Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/3131944
At least you get to see it. I put mine in and waved good bye to $25 last week. Never saw him again.
In fact haven't seen my yellow watchman goby since the second day either, so much for a cool symbiotic pair. good by $60's spent on what was supposed to be cool to watch.
As for sand sifting, look into a horseshoe crab. They root around in the dirt a lot.
My yellow watchman stays at one of the entrances at all times. If I stay still and watch long enough I will see the pistol carry out a rock. Got the watchman about a week before the pistol and they paired up within an hour of introduction. I found a good deal on both of them so I can't complain about a waste of money.

 

[king_neptune]

For my CuC the cerith seem to do best. They don't get stuck, and they move all over(glass, sand,rocks,PVC). Also my larger nass seem to be fond of burrowing in the sand. The smaller ones just scoot about the surface.
Thats rad to hear about your watchman. Maybe my tank was too big for them to find one another. At any rate, Ill try again with a larger pair. These were rather small.

 

[meowzer]

Didn't you say 55G? That should be fine for 1 fighting conch IMO

 

[cajonez]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3131961
Didn't you say 55G? That should be fine for 1 fighting conch IMO
Are there different types? SWF says no smaller than 100g...

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by cajonez
http:///forum/post/3131971
Are there different types? SWF says no smaller than 100g...
If you feel more comfortable you can get a few of the little bears that swf sells....I just think that 1 flighting conch will be okay in a 55g

Let's just say it is from a lot of reading...IDK...LOL

 

[spanko]

I have a Florida fighting conch Strombus alatus in my 29 biocube and will never be without one of these critters again. Nassarius and Cerith snails are the best sand shifters around. Nassarius are detritus eaters and Cerith are algae eaters. Both burrow through the sand looking for food. The Conch stays on the top of the sand eating algae, diatoms etc.

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3131979
I have a Florida fighting conch Strombus alatus in my 29 biocube and will never be without one of these critters again. Nassarius and Cerith snails are the best sand shifters around. Nassarius are detitus eaters and Cerith are algae eaters. Both burrow through the sand looking for food. The Conch stays on the top of the sand eating algae, diatoms etc.

...My teacher

 

[cajonez]

Thanks all

 

[saltyjewell]

I just got 3 big nass snails. They seem to stay in place in the sand during the day but at night I see them come out of the sand then dig in again ect...
I rarely see the cireth snails but I do once in a while and I saw a couple babys last week too.