Burningbaal Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 ok people...here's a poll cause I'm trying to figure out how to move my sand around the best. I've got some tiny nass snails in my CUC, a shortspined urchin and a chestnut snail (yay Garret!). also have a wheeler's watchmen/pistol pair (but they don't stir except in their little burrow). however, I see some cyano on the glass under the sand's surface, so I assume I could use more stirring. I love the look and I want the breeding ground of the sand...but I don't want it to be the feared nutrient sink. so: eng goby x2 diamond goby x2 starfish (i think this is a bad idea, but I'll put it here) conchs (prob 4?) goatfish (seems like it's not a good answer) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoobtoSalt Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Not sure why you think the starfish is a bad idea but that's what I would go with. I've had my sand star for over a year now and it has been a great addition to my CUC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I would personally go with a few(maybe more) conchs, a sand sifting star and maybe a diamond goby . I would also think of adding a few ceriths and some more nassarius snails to the mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Yeah. Add more ceriths and nassarius (bigger ones). The diamond gobies and engineers wont get it all either. And might harrass your shrimp pair. Maybe a starfish. But nothing is going to eat all that grime by the sand/glass edge, thats your job. If its cyano you are having maybe look at scarlet reef hermits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burningbaal Posted September 28, 2011 Author Share Posted September 28, 2011 I always heard sand sifting stars would go after the motile inverts in and on the sand...is that not true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoobtoSalt Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I always heard sand sifting stars would go after the motile inverts in and on the sand...is that not true? I haven't had that issue. My hermits killed more in my tank than anything else though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I have never had a problem with them and I have had hundreds... lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I hear engineer gobies when they get big can be quite destructive. Conches (Tiger and Fighting) are very cool. Fighting conches don't really fight anything. They are fun to look at and do a great job. The only problem I had with them is when you have a crowded sandbed like I do they can start knocking things over. Hermit crabs can too when they get bigger but the dwarf hermits seem to do fine. Hermits can be opportunistic and will eat snails but I find the trochus snails are more hermit resistant. Marble starfish are very hardy and fun to look at. Linkia's tend to be the more sensitive species. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwenReefin Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I would say diamond goby. Ours from Garrett moved that sand bed around daily, always keeping it looking new. :( He's gone now... I think. Haven't seen him in 4 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelsz3 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 If your rockwork is secure and don't have much on your sand bed then an engineer goby is a good choice cause he will move a Ton of sand depending on size, mine was over 7-8" and moved alot but he would move all the sand from underneath the rocks and cover rocks with sand (but lost him in an velvet outbreak :-( . my sand star moves around constantly and doesnt bother my small hermits or nass snails, check out ebay you can by the snails in bulk i got 150 and only 2 died on shipping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burningbaal Posted September 29, 2011 Author Share Posted September 29, 2011 Turns out I guess I was wrong about stars ...what about the royal star (Astropecten articulatus)? Looks awesome and it sounds like I can supplement feed by sticking pellets/etc in the sand if needed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burningbaal Posted October 3, 2011 Author Share Posted October 3, 2011 now I'm leaning toward a pair of engineers...my rock was put in on the glass bottom before the sand, so I'm not too worried about them re-scaping. if I start losing my hermits down the road, I can change things up then, but I know people with a lot of success with these guys and they seem easy to keep...any strong objections? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badxgillen Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 you gotta make the call.i dont think there is a wrong way to go here .there is a positive and negative review about everyone of these creatures.i guess it depends on who your talking to and it sounds like you have heard from alot of people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Might look at a couple of Tiger Tails also, I have several and they clean and move a lot of sand http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+502+712&pcatid=712 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisW Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Use a stick and do it yourself. Do it once a week for nice white sand. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Or siphon that sand out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C0lin Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I just put a pistol shrimp in my main tank from my sump, and he's done a HUGE amount of sand sifting. I was worried, but it's added a third dimension to the sand which is cool(so far). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badxgillen Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 i believe he has one pistol shrimp goby pair but i am not sure.but that may have changed as it used to be included in his signature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burningbaal Posted October 26, 2011 Author Share Posted October 26, 2011 yep, 1 pistol/watchman goby pair but they don't actually move much sand, the goby doesn't at all, actually. the pistol only moves enough sand to keep the opening of the burrow there, no more. they found a rock that was imbedded in the sand and pulled the sand out of it to make a burrow and haven't really done anything else. might get a couple banded sleeper gobies from garret...deciding if I really have $50 to blow on another couple fish right now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.