Something for the bottom of the tank!

[Simon]

I was just wondering what was the best critter or fish that will be a bottom dweler turning over the sand and keeping it clean. Mine's starting to look a bit grubby. I have a cleaner shrimp and 4 red tip hermits, clown and a damsel. Thanks :mrgreen:

[liquidlogic]

a sand sifting goby would be good. or a few snails. ;)

[ronnie]

i would say you need alot more hermit crabs and brittle star fish are always handy

[Simon]

Thanks for the info! The goby looks the best option.

[Blue]

cerith snails are also good, and you can order these from reef critters.
regards chris :D

[Electric Monk]

Agreed, I use cerith snails (small and large) and a Sand-sifting starfish, keeps everything nice and clean

[Macca]

cerith snails are also good, and you can order these from reef critters.
regards chris :D

Cheers Chris :D

SandSifters are great sand scavengers. If you have a large setup they can be a very good addition IMO. If you have a small DSB then IMO I think they can be too good scavenging for pods etc.

James

[liquidlogic]

SandSifters are great sand scavengers. If you have a large setup they can be a very good addition IMO. If you have a small DSB then IMO I think they can be too good scavenging for pods etc.

totaly agree. if you have say a sand sifting star in a smaller set up say a 20 gal it wud soon starve to death . :x

[tonyponty]

hi how much are these gobys

[liquidlogic]

do you have a LFS? what are you tank specs paras? how big?


around £20 probably less

[Wilfy]

Be careful, sand sifting gobies have a tendancy to drop sand on live rock and corals. Also if you have a good amount of water movement they can leave your tank looking like a permanent storm in the Sahara.
I would stick with the cerith snails.

[liquidlogic]

yes i forgot to add. chalk and blue cheek bogys (sand sifting ) dont have a good survival rate, as they will clean up a whole aquarium very quikly. best to be kept in a big system

[tonyponty]

hi is the red brittle star a sand sifter thx

[total*clowns]

We have a pink striped goby several hermits and a brittle star fish. To be honest the tank goes through stages of looking sparkly and clean to looking all brown on the bottom again :roll: But overall they seem to do the job ok HTH

[liquidlogic]

how big is ur tank ?

[Coral Cultivations]

Just a quick point to note - if you have Blue Leg hermits in your system then DO NOT add the small Ceriths as they often get attacked and eaten by them - the larger Cortez Ceriths are big enough to defend themselves however.

Mexican Red Tip hermits are far less aggressive in this respect, and generally fine with the small Ceriths.

Steve

[tonyponty]

arrrrrrrrr now i know why all mine dissapeared then