Sand cleaning animal for Reef Tank?

Monza28 · 03-24-2008, 09:10 PM

Hey guys, I've been thinking of adding something to my reef tank to help with detritus accumulation on the aragonite sand bed. I'm considering a sand sifting sea star or a conch, maybe even a sand sifting goby. What do you guys think? I use powerheads to try and keep detritus in suspension and also use a gravel vac to try and clean my sand during water changes. But there are certain spots where I can't really get the gravel vac, like behind/under rockwork. I find all the creatures above interesting additions to a reef tank and would like to know if they would also help clean my sand. Anything I should know about the care of these guys? Its a 65 gallon reef, softies and LPS, fish list is 2 percula clowns, sixline wrasse, royal gramma, and in the future a flame angel and copperband butterfly.

**JustDavidP** · 03-24-2008, 11:02 PM

65 gallons isn't large enough to keep a sand sifting star. It'd die of starvation quickly, and rob your sand bed of the small detritus eaters you need and want in there. Conch, smaller fighting ones, would work well. Nassarius snails are my choice. A cucumber may work too. Try increasing flow over the bed, without causing a sand storm.

Dave

pvtdonut · 03-25-2008, 12:05 AM

I'm going to keep the cuke in mind for my tank... I'm having the same problem. I just bought a bullet goby to mix it up a bit. He's a good 5" so he is able to cover a great deal of sand when he gets used to everything. Right now he is shy and only takes a bite at the sand a few times a day.... Or that's all I see anyway. I want to get a queen conch for my tank. It would be neat to see how big I can actually get it in my tank.

I got a zebra brittle star too to eat so e of the deterious... But I havnt really seen it AT ALL since I put him in there. He might be out now since its dark...its like 12AM right now.

Good luck with it though. If you find a good solution, let me know!

PhotoJohn · 03-25-2008, 02:03 AM

I use snail in one tank and a pistol shrimp in the other.

joda · 03-26-2008, 12:33 AM

i have about 20 nassarius in my system. they're lots of fun

pvtdonut · 03-26-2008, 06:25 AM

the only snails i have so far are 3 turbos. and i think i have one nasarrius...i had him for a while...i wasnt even sure if i had him anymore. i thought he had died a few different times cause hes disappeared for weeks at a time. i saw him come out yesterday. i did lose my bumblebee though.

RocketSeason · 03-30-2008, 10:38 PM

I dunno, I've had a sand sifting star in my 37 gallon for well over a year now and he shows no sign of stopping. He really churns up the sand too.

**JustDavidP** · 03-30-2008, 10:59 PM

Really? How big is it? Got a piccy? I've always wanted to keep one, but have heard nothing but horror stories about them starving, and cleaning a bed so well, there was no beneficial fauna left over. I like the idea of having these medusa worms and such that I have. I'd hate to get my sand to a point of lifelessness.

Dave

RocketSeason · 03-30-2008, 11:05 PM

I can maybe grab a pic tomorrow when my lights come back on. I feed my clean up crew pellets because I have a very low bioload and there wouldn't normally be enough detritus to support them. In exchange they keep everything clean and are fun to watch. I haven't heard of the Stars dying from starvation personally, but I am sure it can be a problem.

Also, I have a deeper sandbed and the star doesnt bury itself more than a quarter of an inch at the very most.

lReef lKeeper · 03-31-2008, 12:00 AM

i have had a sand sifting star for 3 years in a 55, then in my 125. it even lived with so sand in the frag tank when i moved. it was a temp home when the tank went through a full blown cycle.

**JustDavidP** · 03-31-2008, 11:55 AM

Oooooh... you're gonna make me get one aren't ya! You know me, I'm all about pushing the boundaries if I think I can do it.

Dave