What is the best, "safest" sand sifter?

[buzz]

I am looking to get some sort of a sand sifter for my 28g Reef, currently home to 1 tomato clown, 1 emerald crab, 1 scarlet hermit, 4 snails, 1 rather large bubble tip anemone, about 5 or more mini brittle stars (came with lr), and whatever else I haven't seen yet.
What I don't have is a sand sifter. My LFS told me I should go with a sand star or a horseshoe crab. I hesitate with the horseshoe, because I've seen some negative posts on them here. My concern with the sand star is that my anemone found his home near the base of my live rock, and opens up across the sand bed.
Will the starfish be in danger from the anemone? How about a cucumber? I imagine he'd be in the same position as the star?
Any advice is appreciated...

 

[javajoe]

i personally dont recomend sand sifting stars or horshoe crabs, as they eat pods. what i woudl do, is get a mess of nassariuos snails-- they clean the top of the sand, and they will also go down into the sand bed-- its really funny when one emerges-- its like a super-slow-motion emergency sub surface!

 

[get reel]

Some people believe a sand sifting star will deplete your pod population. I had one for a week then took him out when I read about it (on numerous sites & threads) I like having all the little critters I can. I just doubled up on mv blue legs, and they seem to keep it nice and tidy.

 

[jacksonpt]

Although I have no personal experience with them... fighting conches are supposed to be very good cleaners/sifters.

 

[jonthefb]

i agree with java, that nassarius snails, work great, my pers. faves are cerith snails, but they basically fo the same thing. fightign conchs, as jackson reccommend also do a great job of moving and aereatign (sp.?) sand. Queen conch do the same, however will also climb on th eglass, and rock to chow algea, but do get to be quite large. i have used sand sifters for years, but only ditched mine several weeks ago, and since i have a ton of crazy new things in my dsb that i have never seen before!
good luck
jon

 

[zack schwartz]

hey I bought a sand sifter satr the other dayy at lfs should I bring it back????????????

 

[tang_man_montreal]

I would probably bring him back Zack... Unless you wanna try your luck...
As mentioned above, Nassarius, Cerith, Fighting Conch's are all good.. I'm actually waiting for a fighting conch to come in at my LFS.
Keep in mind that Conch's get big, fast. usually only 1 per square foot of sand is needed.
And don't even think about Queens as they can get to be over a foot large.
I picked up some Maragarita's last night, and a Tigertail Cucumber as well (named him Tigger, lol) ...
Impatiens and Tigertail Cucumbers are also great sand sifters... Among the best. As long as you don't get the colorful yellow or pink cucumbers, you'll be safe.

 

[plum70rt]

I have a sand sifter star and must say its goes around things like shells and plants, it likes to stay in the fine sand,also never goes under rock into that sand,also Ive been told, and it makes common sense that a 3 inch across starfish just can keep up with depleting 150 Lbs of LS, and 250LBs of LR,that I have, JMO,

 

[buzz]

Thanks all! But there's one more part to this equation...my anemone...he set up shop down low on my LR, and his lower half is usually resting on the sand bed.
I attached a pic...
The snail idea sounds good, as does the cucumber...
I thought the star may be a problem, but there's no point in putting any of them in there if they are going to stroll right into a venus flytrap...

 

[bang guy]

I'd go with the critters recommended above; Nassarius Snails, Fighting Conch, and Cucumber. Be sure to get the mopping type cucumber and not the filter feeder. A couple Tiger Tails will work great.
On the subject of Sifting Stars, they are a lot more efficient than their speed would indicate. A medium sized star will easily deplete 10 square feet of sandbed of most of its worms.

 

[blennybabe]

The stars are smart enough to avoid the anemones. I have seen it. There were two or three longtentacles and condis in the tank with two sand sifters and they never went near the anemones. Hope that helps.

 

[buzz]

Thanks! Looks like the snails and cukes are the way to go!