Any good sand sifters to suggest?

[vtysl]

I have a deep sand bed about 3-4 inches. I would like to know if there's any good sand sifters out there that would do a good job in aerating and cleaning the sand bed. I was think if some sea stars. Any suggestions?

[schulzjp]

The watchman goby is good. I hear the jawfish does an AMAZING job. I dont know about the sea stars.

[vtysl]

Yeah, I was thinking of watchman goby and a pistol shrimp but the only thing is that I have a 5.5 pico. Is that enough for them?

[Kool-cat]

"Nassarius" vibex snails, scarlet hermit crabs, Cerith snails

[schulzjp]

I agree with kool-cat's suguestions based on having a pico

[vtysl]

I just researched kool-cat's suggestions and them seem like great sand sifters. Thanks. Any other invertebrates that will be good sifters?

[schulzjp]

This is just my opinion, but i would stick wiht scarlet reef crabs rather than blue legged hermits. The blue legged hermits have a love for cerith snails shells, so if you go with cerith ... dont go blue legged hermits.

[vtysl]

Thanks schulzip.

[c est ma]

FWIW, my ceriths and Nassarius go in and out of the substrate, but I have NEVER seen my scarlet HC do so in the year or so I've had him...(he's a great little HC, though!).

 

--Diane

[EL CHUPACABRA]

Sand sifting stars do a amazing job but your tank is too small. Speaking of which, why do you have such a deep sand bed in such a small tank, you are inviting nitrate problems with your sand bed being the largest living organism in your tank. Get lots of Nass snails, you will love them...

[vtysl]

Sand sifting stars do a amazing job but your tank is too small. Speaking of which, why do you have such a deep sand bed in such a small tank, you are inviting nitrate problems with your sand bed being the largest living organism in your tank. Get lots of Nass snails, you will love them...

 

I accidently bought too much sand. I didnt think that this amount of sand will make it so deep. I'm thinking of cutting down some sand though.

[stan]

I really like my fighting conch. It actually cleans the sand and eats algae off the sand bed.

[vtysl]

I really like my fighting conch. It actually cleans the sand and eats algae off the sand bed.

 

I was just reading about the fighting conch. They sound like they can clean quite well. Does it burry itself in the sand or does it stay on the surface?

[fraggle rockette]

I really like my fighting conch. It actually cleans the sand and eats algae off the sand bed.

 

im pretty sure the conch's get too big for a 5g but idk if the fighting ones are the same? the nass snails are cool tho- it's like watching tremors again and again during feeding time. as for them vs. hermits/shrimp/other inverts, mine hold their own and it's fun to watch the battle royale over pieces of mysis... i think they're tired of left overs and are forming a coup as i type

[shiveley]

Okay, fine, I'll sift your sand, but it's gonna cost ya (and no, that's not codeword for some deviant act).

[vtysl]

Okay, fine, I'll sift your sand, but it's gonna cost ya (and no, that's not codeword for some deviant act).

 

Haha, lol. Thanks but no thanks, i'd rather sift it myself

[BBDreef]

Golden Headed Goby, Hands Down! amazing fish, so much character, digs paths in the live rock, pops in and out of the live rock all the time, AMAZING FISh. I LOVE mine!

[Scott Riemer]

Golden Headed Goby, Hands Down! amazing fish, so much character, digs paths in the live rock, pops in and out of the live rock all the time, AMAZING FISh. I LOVE mine!

No offense but that's a terrible suggestion. A 5.5 is way too small. That fish needs a bigger aquarium with lots of sand to sift or it will starve to death.

[wobbabobba]

I put a really small fighting conch in my 5 gallon. hes doing really well. There are different kinds of conch snails so you need to make sure you get the one that doesnt get too big. At first it just buried itself but now seams like it is up and moving a bit.

[dara]

Just my 2 cents, but I have a fighting conch in my 46 g and he is wonderful. However even though he is pretty small, he is very active and eats ALL the time, so I just wonder if a small tank would contain enough junk, algae, etc for a fighting conch to eat and survive in the long run. (In other words, even though it might be doable, I'd probably think twice about putting him in a smaller aquarium.)

[HecticDialectics]

Just my 2 cents, but I have a fighting conch in my 46 g and he is wonderful. However even though he is pretty small, he is very active and eats ALL the time, so I just wonder if a small tank would contain enough junk, algae, etc for a fighting conch to eat and survive in the long run. (In other words, even though it might be doable, I'd probably think twice about putting him in a smaller aquarium.)

 

 

Ditto.

 

The recommended tank size for a fighting conch s that 1" of shell needs 2 square feet of -sand-. A 5 gallon is way too small to provide enough food for even a 1" conch. Even a 29G (30x12footprint) would be pushing it.

[stan]

I can't say for a 5 gallon but my fighting conch lived for a year in my old 12 gallon before i transferred it to my 20H 6 months ago (total 18 months). Still going strong and cleaning the sand and lower rocks all the time.

 

As far as growth rate. It has to have grown a little during it's life in my tanks, but it must be really slow because i can't tell much size difference.

 

I once tried feeding my Conch a sheet of dried seaweed. It showed a lot of interest in it and spent a lot of time "vacuuming" the surface. I could only assume it was eating it.. but then some of my other inhabitants got to it and devoured it.