Sand sifter necessary? If so... some suggestions?

kiraburk · Nov 20, 2009

I'm very particular about having bright white sand too. I have 1 sand sifter starfish in my 90 gallon, and a really really fat mandarin. My only complaint about my sand sifter though (and I'm sure its just mine) is that he doesn't like to go to the back half of my tank. There's plenty of space for him to get to it, he just likes to go back and forth along the front glass. Which I guess is fine because the sand is as white as the day I bought it. But the backs hard for me to get myself and unfortunately doesn't look as nice as I'd like it too.
Anyway, I'd get a starfish and about 20 nassarius snails.

Paul_N · Nov 20, 2009

I have a barred/dragon goby and he covers coral on the bottom 1/3 with sand. When I upgrade he won't be making the move. He is very efficient though.

sprinklerdudes · Nov 20, 2009

I do like my sand sifting star fish, about it starving, I drop a few shrimp pellets in once a week or whenever I see him on top of the sand for a while. he cleans it up, then dissappers under the sand for a few days.

chromeguppy · Nov 20, 2009

@ kiraburk: it is my experience that if you don't have enough current directed at those areas sand sifting stars alone can't help. Stars stir the sand by covering and uncovering themselves, not by eating mouthfulls like a cucumber! But if you got a few cucumbers i bet that would help. My two cucumbers come out only when the lights are off and its crazy what they do when I'm sleeping. Not only the white sand but the piles of "poop" shaped piles.

Paul_N · Nov 20, 2009

sorry to hijack the thread but since we are on sand sifters, does anyone know if you can mix pistol shrimp and cukes. I mean will the shrimp go after it if it get too close to its area?

CHALICEKEEPER · Nov 20, 2009

I just bought 40 tonga nassarius snails for $1 each at reef2go plus free ship cause i live in florida. Enter fbook in coupon code get 20% off sweet deal :)

chromeguppy · Nov 20, 2009

You can mix them if the tank is big enough! But regardless of the tank size if they come close to each other, they will stand their grounds but not cause each other major harm.

Paul_N · Nov 20, 2009

They will be in a 220. My barred/dragon goby will not be making the move to the bigger tank so I need something to keep the sand clean. I wanted to go with a couple cucumbers. My dang pistol is always snapping when the lights go off. It's probably because bristle worms start moving.