Sand sifters

[hypersonic]

My tank has been setup for about 4 weeks and has completely cycled. I'm getting ready to add a cleanup crew of crabs/snails/etc. My question was with the sand cleaners. I just placed the live rock on the sand bed, are the sea stars and cucumbers going to undermine the rock and have it fall on them and topple my rock?

 

[urchinkiller15]

I would have put the live rock in before the sand. There is the possibility that sand sifters will burrow under the rocks and cause the rock to callapse on top of them. This would result in the death of whatever was under it and possibly your rockwork falling over. Snails and hermit crabs should be ok but sea stars and sand sifter gobies might be a bad idea.

 

[hypersonic]

What about a sea cucumber? Do they burrow or just cruise the top? I don't have a DSB...just an inch/inch and a half...

 

[twoodall]

From what I see and read sea cucumbers are surface dwellers, they will not burrow.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I would suggest going with Nass snails. And whatever you do, don't get a sand sifting star fish. It will starve to death, and wipe out anything living in your sandbed in short order.