Sand sifter suggestions

[cwolfus]

Hey gang,

So I finally got everything moved into my new tank (yes pics are coming) which is about 70g and have a 2 inch sand bed. I'd like a sand sifter to help keep it clean. Got any auggestions? Got pics of your suggestions?

Current inhabitants include a mandarin, yellow tang, ocellaris, and blue damsel.

Thanks,

-Charles

 

[sfsuphysics]

How big is the tank?

Personally I have 3 sand sifters, the brown (poo) cucumber out of all the other cucumbers I've seen this is the only one that very actively eats sand and poops out clean sand.

A sand sifting star does nice as well.

Finally a couple types of snails, fighting conches or tongan nassarius are good for sifting.

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Charles, I have a sand sifting star in a tank that I'm taking down. Yours if you want it.

 

[cwolfus]

Mike, thanks for the poo cuke suggestion

Thanks Mr. Ugly, that sounds great.

Anyone have any other suggestions?

-Charles

 

[Qwiv]

I think the sand sifting star is a poor choice. The stars eat pods/worms etc in the sand, not the poo. They eat the things you want and most importantly, things your mandarin wants.

Stick with cucs and nassarius snails. Maybe a single fighting conch.

 

[tuberider]

Some variety of sand sifting goby might fit the bill too.

 

[Dyngoe]

My personal preference is snails and gobys. I second what Qwiv says, stars eat too many good things. I have about 10 snails in my sand and every morning it looks like I had a gardner go through it; neat litttle tracks all around my rocks. Plus, if they ever run out of stuff in the sand they climb the glass and help out there as well.

 

[cwolfus]

Thanks all,

I actually already have a few nassarius, maybe 10 or so. But I think more would be needed. Thoughts?

-Charles

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Yah, I like the small nassarius. I'd go for more than 10, but don't know how many people typically put in your size tank.

Great fun watching them do the Night of the Living Dead zombie snail routine