How many sandsifters are too much for an 80gal?

[Alpha_and_Gec]

So I’ve got an engineer goby, marginatus wrasse, and a strawberry conch. However, my brother wants a valencienna goby and I want to put in a horseshoe crab. Are these too many sifters to go around a sandbed? Should I cut back a bit?

Also was considering a high - hat drum, but they’re also going to grub around the sand so I may have to reconsider that too.

 

[blaxsun]

You may want to re-home the engineer goby at some point (they get big and messy). Ditto for the horseshoe crab. The other goby should be fine.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

You may want to re-home the engineer goby at some point (they get big and messy). Ditto for the horseshoe crab. The other goby should be fine.

I know someone that may need an engi in the future so that's probably not a problem. For the horseshoe crab... refer to https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/do-horseshoe-crabs-taste-good.1006914/

I just want to make sure nothing starves because the sand bed is being messed with too often.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I just want to make sure nothing starves because the sand bed is being messed with too often.

I'd imagine that you could just mix food into the sand for them to find to keep them from starving - though for the Valenciennea goby and the horseshoe crab (which are both known for starving in our tanks when people rely on their sandbed/pods to provide adequate feed for them) it may take some experimenting to get the right size of food for them to pick out.

I'd ask around about how the high-hats do with other fish that are like half their size.

What size tank are you working with (what dimensions), and is the aquascape setup in such a way as to be horseshoe crab friendly (i.e. is there a lot of horizontal space for it to move around in)?

 

[James M]

I know someone that may need an engi in the future so that's probably not a problem. For the horseshoe crab... refer to https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/do-horseshoe-crabs-taste-good.1006914/

I just want to make sure nothing starves because the sand bed is being messed with too often.

The horseshoe crab will starve to death no matter what you feed

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

I'd imagine that you could just mix food into the sand for them to find to keep them from starving - though for the Valenciennea goby and the horseshoe crab (which are both known for starving in our tanks when people rely on their sandbed/pods to provide adequate feed for them) it may take some experimenting to get the right size of food for them to pick out.

I'd ask around about how the high-hats do with other fish that are like half their size.

What size tank are you working with (what dimensions), and is the aquascape setup in such a way as to be horseshoe crab friendly (i.e. is there a lot of horizontal space for it to move around in)?

Horseshoe crabs are going to be treated like a predator, which is as far as I know is what people had kept them the best on. Probably a bunch of whole fish or shrimp daily. I'm more worried about the valenicennea, which does feed on pellet and frozen at the lfs but I'm not sure if that's a complete enough diet..

I'm running 80gal with most of my rockwork leaning against the back wall, so I think there should be enough space for a horseshoe crab to move around until it outgrows the tank.

I think I made a post about high - hats already(waiting out replies), and reading other records people only had problems with them when they're kept with crustaceans. Only really worried about their size and sand - screwing potential.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Horseshoe crabs are going to be treated like a predator, which is as far as I know is what people had kept them the best on. Probably a bunch of whole fish or shrimp daily.

Whole fish and shrimp are good; I'd personally add clams to the menu too though (meaning, I'd offer all three), and I'd probably supplement with an algae-rich pellet on occasion (such as NLS Marine Fish Pellets) just to make sure the nutritional bases are all covered.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

Whole fish and shrimp are good; I'd personally add clams to the menu too though (meaning, I'd offer all three), and I'd probably supplement with an algae-rich pellet on occasion (such as NLS Marine Fish Pellets) just to make sure the nutritional bases are all covered.

I pretty much consider them rays in terms of care. Very similar animals anatomically and behaviourally, except one is less painful to tick off. Definitely going to include nori in their diet, although I'm not sure how long dry nori lasts... I've got a sheet that has got to be a few years old lost behind the fridge that had yet to be opened.