Help me pick a sandsifter!

[zoalover34]

Let me know what your fav. sifting gobie is.. I wanna get 1 to help keep the sand clean and that will be fairly active! Keep in mind i only have a 29g!

 

[Joe Fish]

I just got a Randall's goby and he does an ok job.

 

[zoalover34]

Ive been looking online and i kinda like the diamond watchman.. Besides its really the only goby our locals have in stock lol!

 

[Lorna]

Problem with the diamonds is they are too big for a 29g. They get over 6 inches long and though they do a great job they are jumpers. I have lost 3 the last 2 jumped through egg crate so go figure. I currenly have a small yellow headed sleeper but even these guys get fairly big too.....so I am not sure about what will do a good job and suitable for that size tank......I would just try stirring the top layer of sand regularily during your weekly water changeds and rely on sand sifting snails such as nassarius etc.

 

[TRe]

not a fan of sand sifters cause they get sand every where lol! it gets anoying having to blow the sand off corals every few days if yur talking about the diatoms as u prolly kno its common in new tanks and will go away eventually if you ever keep one tank long enough

 

[TRe]

btw randalli's are cool but only sand sift in ther cave lol.... ive had a yellow watchman goby for a few years now and he pretty much stays in a few spots but u can tell where he hangs out!

 

[zoalover34]

common in new tanks and will go away eventually if you ever keep one tank long enough.. *laughingc.. Good 1 TRe.. Ill get some snails soon.. Still need/want 1 or 2 more colorful fish.. Ne suggestions or thoughts on what i should get?

 

[TRe]

midas blenny is cool and what about a perching type goby or a watchman or something

 

[MatthewLaw]

What about a pair of clowns?

 

[zoalover34]

I allready have a Clown, im gonna take a drive here in a few out to a lfs to see what they have.. I hate having to drive an hour each way just to look at fish to see if they have anything in!

 

[zoalover34]

Just called this 1 store they have an orange spotted (diamond goby) for 30.. Ive read they do really good at sifting. If i do end up with it ill just have to move my ric's off my sand lol

 

[Lorna]

You know that the orange spot is a prawn gobie and not a sand sifting type? It is a nice fish when paired with a pistol shrimp.....

 

[zoalover34]

Here he is...

He's been doing a little bit of sifting so far, hopefully he keeps it up!

 

[Lorna]

That is not an orange spot that is a diamond gobie and will get very large and a jumper so be prepared.......the orange spot is not as large and is a different fish altogether...

Note the difference?

 

[Lotus]

I had an orange spot goby a while back. He did sift sand a little bit, but not as much as the diamonds do. They're both a shrimp goby and a sifter... kind of a neat combination. Unfortunately, he went carpet surfing one night

 

[zoalover34]

Yea i see the difference.. So they guy at the store didn't know what he was talking about lol.. Its a diamond goby for sure lol.. I think it might be full grown allready I would say its about 3-4", and allready turned my sand over at least 1 time lol.. I have a canopy on my tank but it's open in the back.. Guess ill have to get some screen and close it up

 

[Lorna]

screen it over and it will get bigger.....just make sure it is eating food as it won't get enough from your relatively new sand bed.......mine loved mysis....

 

[zoalover34]

I figured since it was so big that it would be eating fine, im going to pick up some mysis today or tomorrow all i have right now is formula 1 and 2.. The other fish love em both

 

[BalaShark]

Here's my favourite. Use them in all my s/w tanks
Saltwater Aquarium Starfish for Marine Reef Aquariums: Sand Sifting Sea Star

 

[Lorna]

sand sifting stars are not a good idea in any tank less than 75-90 gallons as they require a very large footprint with a very well established sand bed as they are voracious feeders who will deplete all the fauna from a sand bed in very short order. Once they starve to death and they will, they can pollute the existing sandbed as they decay as you won't be able to find them.......not recommended except in very large established sand beds.......