Best sand sifter for 120 gallons ?

[Idech]

I want to add a sand sifter to help turn over the sand. Is there one that is less likely to spit at corals but will still do a very good job and add a touch of color to the tank ?

Here are the fish I have at the moment. There won’t be other additions besides the sand sifter.

1 x firefish goby
1 x blue eye kole tang / 2 spot bristletooth (ctenochaetus binotatus)
1 x Pajama Cardinal
2 x oscellaris clown
1 x Yellow watchman goby
1 x one spot foxface
1 x yellow coris wrasse
1 x Ruby Red Dragonet goby (Synchiropus sycorax)
1 x Matted aiptasia eating filefish (Acreichthys Tomentosus)
1 x yellow tang
1 x Japanese swallow tail (femelle)

Clean-up crew :

bumble bee snails
emerald crab
hermit crabs
conch snail
halloween snail
trochus snails
cerith snails
nassarius snails
1 x tuxedo urchin (in sump)
1 x zebra brittle star
1 x pom pom crab
1 x cleaner shrimp
1 x tiger pistol shrimp

Thanks !

 

[TX_REEF]

conches are excellent for this purpose, I have a couple in my mixed reef. I also have nassarius snails and a sand sifting star (lots of folks say sand sifting stars will starve to death in our tanks but mine's going strong a year in).

 

[Idech]

conches are excellent for this purpose, I have a couple in my mixed reef. I also have nassarius snails and a sand sifting star (lots of folks say sand sifting stars will starve to death in our tanks but mine's going strong a year in).

I already have a conch and nassarius snails. My wrasse eats my snails so I’d rather have a fish.

I’m nervous about sand sifting stars.

 

[TX_REEF]

I already have a conch and nassarius snails. My wrasse eats my snails so I’d rather have a fish.

I’m nervous about sand sifting stars.

Nervous why?

How about a Diamond goby? They get quite large and are aggressive sand stirrers

 

[dangles]

I got a Buan goby having heard they are “mild” on “dumps sand on your corals” scale. I wouldn’t do it again. He’s pretty bad about it. I’m not sure if they vary from fish to fish or if they’re just all bad. I guess he could be worse, but it’s more than I want.

Anyway I would suggest a handful of tiger conchs as long as your wrasse doesn’t go after them like the nessarius. I have 2 conchs and a bunch of nessarius. I tried a tiger cucumber but I’ve had 2 die on me, and won’t try that again for that reason. I’m going to end up getting another half dozen tiger conchs I think for my 120g (plus a ton more nessarius but I don’t have a wrasse like you )

 

[Idech]

Nervous why?

Because I’ve read so many times they don’t do well in our tanks and should be left in the ocean. I don’t want to get one and have it die a few months later.

How about a Diamond goby? They get quite large and are aggressive sand stirrers

That’s what I’m leaning towards. One of my go to LFS has some so I might go this week.

 

[i cant think]

I want to add a sand sifter to help turn over the sand. Is there one that is less likely to spit at corals but will still do a very good job and add a touch of color to the tank ?

Here are the fish I have at the moment. There won’t be other additions besides the sand sifter.

1 x firefish goby
1 x blue eye kole tang / 2 spot bristletooth (ctenochaetus binotatus)
1 x Pajama Cardinal
2 x oscellaris clown
1 x Yellow watchman goby
1 x one spot foxface
1 x yellow coris wrasse
1 x Ruby Red Dragonet goby (Synchiropus sycorax)
1 x Matted aiptasia eating filefish (Acreichthys Tomentosus)
1 x yellow tang
1 x Japanese swallow tail (femelle)

Clean-up crew :

bumble bee snails
emerald crab
hermit crabs
conch snail
halloween snail
trochus snails
cerith snails
nassarius snails
1 x tuxedo urchin (in sump)
1 x zebra brittle star
1 x pom pom crab
1 x cleaner shrimp
1 x tiger pistol shrimp

Thanks !

My Tiger Goby does a great job but you have to make sure that your sand is never truly clean for all sand sifters. They starve without dirty sand.

 

[dangles]

That’s what I’m leaning towards. One of my go to LFS has some so I might go this week.

I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure a Diamond goby will move a LOT of sand. My lfs has them all the time, and they always end up making huge piles of sand and moving them all around. Great for sand agitation/cleaning. Not as great if you have corals on or near the sandbed.

 

[i cant think]

I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure a Diamond goby will move a LOT of sand. My lfs has them all the time, and they always end up making huge piles of sand and moving them all around. Great for sand agitation/cleaning. Not as great if you have corals on or near the sandbed.

Yep, they absolutely throw sand everywhere. I hate them in my reefs for that reason.
Best options are these guys, slightly harder to come across but he lays close to the sand and doesn’t really go much further up than maybe the first inch of rockwork.

 

[Idech]

Yep, they absolutely throw sand everywhere. I hate them in my reefs for that reason.
Best options are these guys, slightly harder to come across but he lays close to the sand and doesn’t really go much further up than maybe the first inch of rockwork.

What is it ?

 

[JaaxReef]

I would vote Valencienna Sexguttata. The blue spots on the cheeks and almost completely white body are not super exciting, but mine kept very close to the sand when sifting and made very little mess. Always a risk, but they have been more consistent for me over the years. Diamond or gold head sleeper are both more hit or miss on if they swim up with a mouthful of sand and dump on everything.

 

[i cant think]

What is it ?

Valenciennea wardii, the Tiger Goby.

 

[Idech]

Valenciennea wardii, the Tiger Goby.

Does it do a good job at cleaning the sand all over the tank ? My LFS has one to so that would be another option.

 

[i cant think]

Does it do a good job at cleaning the sand all over the tank ? My LFS has one to so that would be another option.

Yep! He is all over the tank and nowhere near as messy.

Just make sure your sand is never completely clean otherwise it will starve all sand sifting gobies.

 

[Idech]

Yep! He is all over the tank and nowhere near as messy.

Just make sure your sand is never completely clean otherwise it will starve all sand sifting gobies.

How do you make sure ? Just feed more ? Feed pellets for it ?

 

[i cant think]

How do you make sure ? Just feed more ? Feed pellets for it ?

Honestly, even feeding pellets and frozen doesn’t seem to help these guys unless it’s done 8-12 times a day.
The nutrients they need mostly comes from the sand bed.

 

[Idech]

Honestly, even feeding pellets and frozen doesn’t seem to help these guys unless it’s done 8-12 times a day.
The nutrients they need mostly comes from the sand bed.

My sand bed is 5 months old but the rocks are 2 1/2 years old. Do you think it’s too soon to get one ?

 

[Idech]

I got a tiger goby at the LFS. It wasn’t in top shape but I didn’t want to wait. It’s tail is a little but roughed up and he definitely is very thin. I hope he can get better in my tank, as there are lots of places to hide, lots of food and « dirty » sand.

Fingers crossed.

It’s hard to see but there he is, right after being released.

 

[Naekuh]

i have a sleeper dragon goby. He's not as bad as a diamond goby. Doesn't barf the sand too high, and not too avid of a burrower.

But he did decided my zoa garden was the best place to barf out all the rubble, which i do not mind, as it keeps my zoas at bay.

But there are times when he will barf sand on my trachy, and i have to use my pipette to blow the sand off.

But sleeper goby's come with there own set of issues, but keep your sand bed white.

 

[Idech]

Tiger goby hasn’t been seen in 5-6 days. It was emaciated; I hope it survived.