flapjack1439
New member
Any suggestions on sand sifting snails or conchs? Something to clean up the sand without knocking everything around.
Best sand sifters?
- Thread starter flapjack1439
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jwblocal701
New member
sand stars i think work the best
bubbletip2
Premium Member
I agree ostrow. Nassarius are great and you could put many in your tank. Each time you feed they will comeo out of the and slightly disruptign your sand bed. Sand sifters will eat all of the good stuff out of your sand in no time. If it is a lrage system you willprobably be ok. I have had ceriths that like to dig around the sand as well.
flapjack1439
New member
What I have is a 58 gal with a couple inches of sand.
I have a queen conch now. I don't want something that will wipe out all the good stuff just clean it up a bit. Perhaps another queen conch or just a few Nassarius. Do they go by another name? Haven't seen any around locally.
I have a queen conch now. I don't want something that will wipe out all the good stuff just clean it up a bit. Perhaps another queen conch or just a few Nassarius. Do they go by another name? Haven't seen any around locally.
sugartooth
Reef bully
I agree with ostrow about the jumbos, I also like the sandbed sifting clams from IPSF. I got their 9 for $99 mix...with the small stars, etc.
homebrewdude
Member
Do the cukes eat alot?
Do I have too feed them if there isn't enough in the sand?
Do I have too feed them if there isn't enough in the sand?
flapjack1439
New member
Aren'y they toxic when they die?
Rod Buehler
New member
That worry is very very highly overated.. Some of the more "exotic" colorful cucks can pose more of a threat, but the sand sifters of the Holothuria (spelling)species are considered to be safe. I would not set up a sand bed without one
Rod Buehler
New member
They are bio film eaters (bacteria) and maybe detritus eaters. They do not need to be fed, but the sand bed must be large enough to produce the bacteria. They move anlongthe sand bed ingesting dirty sand in one end, and out the other end comes clean white sand that appears to be in pellet form.
craftytony
OT Godfather
are they ok for DSB's rod?
ostrow
It's Dr. Goodluck Himself
Holy Holothurias, Reef Man! I have never set up a sand bed WITH one! Got one in the package once, and dumped it because I was worried it would pollute the tank.
Mostly, though, I haven't gotten one because they are large and ugly as sin. (As opposed to the owner of the shop in DeKalb, who is on the small side
).Does anyone know of a shop in DeKalb that sells these? OR somewhere closer because who the hell wants to drive that far? :bum:
flapjack1439
New member
Like I said I have a 58 gal with a couple of inches of sand. I don't want something that will knock stuff over or wipe out the good stuff in the sand. How big do these Holothuria get?
Doubledown
Active member
I picked up a small one (3.5") from Rod on my last trip out. You rarely see them during the day. Mostly it just hangs out, partially burried, under a ledge in the base rock and come out to feed at night.
Looks like a small cigar, so ugly is a pretty good description. That said, white sand is worth it.
The sand sifting stars and those black snails you see on e-bay (Obsoletta I believe - usually sold in lots of 500 for $89) are predators. They will eat the microfauna in the sand. It may take some time with a larger established sand bed, but they will hunt everything down.
Go with one of the cukes and some of theose Jumbo Nassarius (I tried to put 75 of the Nassarius Vibex in a 180 and they didn't seem to help as they were too small).
Looks like a small cigar, so ugly is a pretty good description. That said, white sand is worth it.
The sand sifting stars and those black snails you see on e-bay (Obsoletta I believe - usually sold in lots of 500 for $89) are predators. They will eat the microfauna in the sand. It may take some time with a larger established sand bed, but they will hunt everything down.
Go with one of the cukes and some of theose Jumbo Nassarius (I tried to put 75 of the Nassarius Vibex in a 180 and they didn't seem to help as they were too small).
BlackHawk77
New member
My tiger cuke is rarely in the sand and I have about a 5 inch sand bed in my 150. He is normally wrapped around the rock work and sucking on rocks. Sometimes he will injest some sand and I see the pellets but not often. I did just order 1 sand sifting star, I am hoping that my tank is big enough where he can't kill all the microfauna.
homebrewdude
Member
I have 200lbs of sand in my 120gal tank
It is all uneven Some spots are 4" and some are 1"
I was thinking of getting a cuke.. but I was waiting to make sure there is enough food in the sand. My tank is 5 weeks old
I did notice some brown on my white sand. Not sure what this is.
It is all uneven Some spots are 4" and some are 1"
I was thinking of getting a cuke.. but I was waiting to make sure there is enough food in the sand. My tank is 5 weeks old
I did notice some brown on my white sand. Not sure what this is.
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