fish that will keep the sand shifting so i dont look at algae

[roushmustang]

the one think i cannot stand in fish tanks is algae on the sand/rock bottom and am curious what fish should i get to keep the sand shifting and eat the algae
goat fish? i dont want anything that will get to big because i already plan on 2 fish that will grow 1foot and the other 8-10 inches

 

[extreme5450]

what type of fish do u already have in the tank and how big is the tank?

 

[roushmustang]

90 gallon
maroon clown, porkfish, female hawaiian flame wrasse &&&&&cleaner shrimp and purple lobsterthe lobster and shrimp are moving into my cousins tank sometime in the next 3 weeks

the fish i want to get is
(for sure)
mated pair of gobys with shrimp
bicolor blenny
juv. scribbled angel and find it a new home if it gets to big eventually
(maybeif i dont get the angel above one of the 2)
lyretail hogfish
jackknife fish

 

[bigdoug]

I have 2 gold head gobies in my 125 and they do an awesome job keeping the sand churned.

 

[roushmustang]

will these eat the algae that is growing on the sand and they are cool lloking with just a gold head
and please post a pic of them two

 

[snorvich]

roushmustang you are over feeding. Solve that problem rather than compound the problem. A scribbled angel will not do well in the tank you have. You like large fish, you have a smaller sized tank. You need to adjust what you like to what you have. We keep providing this advice and you keep refusing to hear it.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

You need to address the issue.

Why do you have algae growing on the sand?
What is your nitrate and phosphate levels?
How much flow do you have?
Do you use RO/DI water?
How often do you do water changes?
How many gallons do you change out?
Do you run any GFO?
What kind of mechanical filtration do you use?
How often do you clean the mechanical filters?
Do you run a skimmer?

Solving the issue will be much easier than adding more fish, which in turn, adds more waste that needs to be exported. If it's not being exported, it will just fuel the algae probelm even more.

I would love to see a pic of your set up. It may help point us in the right direction to help us help you solve your problem.

 

[small alien]

Solid advice.

Think of it this way, your sand bed isn't dirty because you lack a sand sifting fish. And a sand sifting fish isn't going to solve the issue, only mask it at best.

 

[skraj011]

once you do what the people above have suggested. If you are still looking for something to turn the sand over a diamond watchman goby does a great job.

 

[alton]

once you do what the people above have suggested. If you are still looking for something to turn the sand over a diamond watchman goby does a great job.

I second the diamond

 

[sland]

+3 on diamond...i have had a bullet goby that was excellent as well

 

[small alien]

I have a Rainford's goby that does some sand sifting and is nice and plump. Almost every bigger sand sifter I hear about dies of starvation in all but the most established and largest tanks. Try nassarius snails or ceriths if you want to turn the sand. Perhaps a tiger tail cucumber. But, again, algae, cyano, etc. are a nutrient issue, not a "lack of the right sand sifter" issue.