Which sand sifter

[tomboys]

I've been looking at getting a sand sifter, but I'm considering a sand sifting starfish as an alternative to a sand sifting goby (looking at Chalk Goby). Which would you say is easier to keep and better at doing the job? (Red Sea Reefer XL 300)

 

[grant.lawton]

I have an orange diamond goby, he requires feeding to supplement his diet, He does an amazing job cleaning the sand and moving it around (sometimes on top of coral). On the other hand I also have a sand-sifting starfish, he is zero maintenance, but doesn't really do a huge amount in terms of keeping the sand bed clean.
in summary:
Goby
Pros:
cleans the surface of sand bed thoroughly
looks cool
has personality
Cons:
will most likely make a mess
will probably require feeding

Sand Sifting Star
Pros:
no maintenance
possibly cleans deeper below the surface than the goby
Cons:
not as thorough at cleaning the surface of the sand bed

 

[James M]

Are you looking to get something to clean the sand bed ?
If so I would go with conches

 

[MrStoffel]

Are you looking to get something to clean the sand bed ?
If is I would go with conches

I second this
I have both conches (strombus snails) as well as a sandsifting starfish. I also used to have a goby, but he went carpet surfing. What i disliked about the goby is that he creates a constant storm of particles in the tank. One could assume that is good, but i found the opposite to be true. My sps surely didn’t appreciate it

 

[tomboys]

Are you looking to get something to clean the sand bed ?
If is I would go with conches

Yes, but my fiancée is very anti-snail, so being forced to make a slightly alternative cuc. She thinks both Nassarius and Conches are both creepy as hell (she's also generally against snails in general)

 

[jaganshi066]

I have an orange diamond goby, he requires feeding to supplement his diet, He does an amazing job cleaning the sand and moving it around (sometimes on top of coral). On the other hand I also have a sand-sifting starfish, he is zero maintenance, but doesn't really do a huge amount in terms of keeping the sand bed clean.
in summary:
Goby
Pros:
cleans the surface of sand bed thoroughly
looks cool
has personality
Cons:
will most likely make a mess
will probably require feeding

Sand Sifting Star
Pros:
no maintenance
possibly cleans deeper below the surface than the goby
Cons:
not as thorough at cleaning the surface of the sand bed

I think the diamond goby is the best sand sifter, and he cleans it so well. The others can’t even compare to it

 

[Biokabe]

Yes, but my fiancée is very anti-snail, so being forced to make a slightly alternative cuc. She thinks both Nassarius and Conches are both creepy as hell (she's also generally against snails in general)

... That's a first. Best of luck to you, I don't envy trying to support a full CUC while keeping snails to a minimum.

For your size of tank, I wouldn't expect a large sand sifter to work out long-term. I have a Reefer 350, and I've never had a sifting fish last more than a month or two. They just go through the sand too fast, and even with supplemental feeding they don't seem to thrive.

A Rainsford goby might be your best bet, but they're not the most enthusiastic of sifters, especially once they realize that the big human regularly drops food into the tank. Honestly, without snails, I might be tempted to convert my tank to a BB tank, especially below 90-120 gallons. I can think of snail alternatives for every function except for sand cleaning (that would thrive in your size of tank). How does your fiancee feel about sea cucumbers?

 

[SchrutesReefs]

Nassarius snails will dissapear under the sandbed and you’ll most likely only see them when you feed. But if someone is anti snails, which is crazy, best bet is the conch.

 

[tomboys]

Nassarius snails will dissapear under the sandbed and you’ll most likely only see them when you feed. But if someone is anti snails, which is crazy, best bet is the conch.

May end up trying to persuade her for conches, but I mainly promised that I would explore all the options first.

 

[attiland]

Yes, but my fiancée is very anti-snail, so being forced to make a slightly alternative cuc. She thinks both Nassarius and Conches are both creepy as hell (she's also generally against snails in general)

I hear you mate. My wife is the same. She had to get used to it thought :)

 

[James M]

Yes, but my fiancée is very anti-snail, so being forced to make a slightly alternative cuc. She thinks both Nassarius and Conches are both creepy as hell (she's also generally against snails in general)

Bummer, I would just try and convince her. They mostly spend time burrowed during the day and come out when lights are out

 

[Brit’s Fish]

May end up trying to persuade her for conches, but I mainly promised that I would explore all the options first.

Conchs will also bury themselves so sometimes you may not even see them for a few days. They’re the best sand stirrers IMO, but I also think they’re cute. LOL