DSB and burrowers

[euromomtx]

I had a DSB in my current tank and would like to have another DSB in my next tank (upgrading from a 125g to a 215g)
I just read through Shimek's info about avoiding sand sifters because they deplete the micro fauna in the sandbed.
I'm good with that. Makes sense and I don't want any sand sifters anyway.
IMO a sandsifter would be an animals that continiously sifts the sand in search for microorganisms to eat.
In my new tank I would however love to have a pair or small group of burrowers (fish that do not derive their food from the sandbed but use it to build their den in.)
I really would love to create the new system around the needs of jawfish with a 7" sandbed.
Here's my dilemma. Shimek's info says that the animals in DSB's need a very fine substrate. Jawfish of course need a mixed substrate with small shells, etc. to build their dens.
So what should I do?
Completely forgo the jawfish?
Mix up the sugar fine with some coarser stuff?
Create different areas in the tank - some with coarse stuff for jawfish, others with 100% sugar fine?
Is a living/functioning DSB AND a jawfish doable?

 

[billsreef]

Just incorporate a mixed rubble zone in one area for the Jawfish

 

[tibob32]

when you use mixed, the fine particles will eventually settle at the bottom and the bigger will stay at the surface. your microfauna gets what it wants and so does your jawfish

 

[elegance coral]

IMHO, you should forget everything you read from Shemik, and build the system around the needs of the pets you want to keep. After all, it's their quality of life that's important. Now if you want to keep bristle worms as pets, maybe Shemik is on to something.

 

[nickandkara]

My caribsea live sand (available from most lfs, petco, petsmart, etc) has both fine and course with shells and other rocks that I think would be suitable for what is mentioned.

 

[BeastBeau]

I have Carib sand too and think it is fine enough....too much more and things will be blowing around too much

 

[jenglish]

My setup is mostly oolitic arag with a little special grade and puka shell mixed in. Even at 60x turnover I do not get blowing. That being said when I swap tanks I am using a larger grain sand than oolitic.

 

[ruprecht]

Do what billsreef said.

I had a yellow headed jawfish make a home under a rock because the substrate could not form a burrow. It just carved out a cave.

 

[lobsterotomy]

I have two yellow-headed jawfish, and I have 4 - 6" of oolithic sand.

That being said, all my rocks are stacked down to the glass, and there is a lot of rubble I've thrown in for the jawfish to use in their burrows - they'll actually go around and gather stuff up for their burrows (so don't leave expensive frags on the sandbed - a lesson well learned).

I've also added a few pounds of crushed coral in the areas they've built their dens as it helps to pack in with the oolithic sand with the rubble so their dens aren't constantly collapsing or caving in with oolithic sand.

 

[ezhoops]

use what you want and build a jawfish house. do a search but basically a 1" pvc pipe or even that clear tubing you can buy at lfs stick it thru a piece of LR and then under sand bed and they will quickly use that. they work great

 

[straightjiggy10]

use what you want and build a jawfish house. Do a search but basically a 1" pvc pipe or even that clear tubing you can buy at lfs stick it thru a piece of lr and then under sand bed and they will quickly use that. They work great

+1