Best Sand Sifters/Cleaners

[reefer13]

I was literally on the brink of buying a sand sifting starfish with the recommendation of the LFS (salesperson had bag in hand) without any of my own research, (yeah i know big mistake!)when an unrelated phone call caused me to leave the store and put the purchase on hold. After some research I discovered this would have been a terrible choice. These guys do their job toooo well.

Anyways, after learning this does anybody have any recommendations or any favorites when it comes to sand stirrers? Im trying to figure out why my sand wont stay consistently pristine. I get a splotchy breakout of cyano every once in a while.
Parameters are good and i'm religious with my water changes.

As usual any advice or experience is appreciated.

Thanks guys!!!!!

 

[crsswift70]

My favorite is a cucumber. Others will mention certain stars, nassarius, hermits, gobies. Several threads on this though. Might be better to do a search.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1429364

I saved you the trouble

 

[lorawalters13]

nassarius snails

 

[Guygettnby]

i second the cucumber! as my favorite of course, but there are alot of other options that do a good job.

 

[mikchabe]

My pistol shrimps are constantly digging/stirring the sand.

 

[o0xerog0o]

My diamond goby did an awesome job of cleaning the sand for the one evening I had him.. That night, he disappeared, no remains on the carpet, no floating fish in the tank, nothing... I'd like to get another one, and hopefully keep it, but I hear they can disappear for weeks before coming back out, so I've still got my fingers crossed.

I need to pick up some more nassarius snails too, they were pretty good at their job

 

[godxzilla]

My goby jumped, I found him but it was too late. I suggest covering your tank WELL if you plan to have one

 

[jubjub]

i have a sand sifting star they are pretty cool for the 2mins every 3 days i get to see him....although he tried to eat a hermit the other day had a big lump in him...he eventually spit it out lol...

edit: just thinking of it....with the cucumbers i heard when they die/stressed out they can release stuff into the tank and kill the entire tank.....

 

[o0xerog0o]

yeah I had two diamond gobies... The first one jumped it's first night in the tank, and now I'm waiting to see if the second one will show back up or not. Super cool fish to watch when you can keep one in your tank.

 

[crsswift70]

Jubjubrsx http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=12930300#post12930300