Sand Sifting Goby

R

Reefugee

New member
I need a recommendation for a sand sifting goby. I want something that is really good at keeping my sand clean - not something that just burrow in one place.

Wee-Reef Master has a diamond goby that he got from YourReef and swears by it. I got one from Yourreef yesterday. This morning, the poor little thing had committed suicide. Heard a splash last night, but couldn't find anything. This morning, one of the girls found a dried fish.

I am looking for a replacement. It can be a diamond goby or any other type of sand sifter. BTW - if you have recommendation for other type of sand sifter, I would like to hear your recommendation as well.

Minh
 
I think you're talking about Valenciennea puellaris. All the fish in this genus are quite touchy and hard to feed as they subsist pretty much solely on sandbed animals. They will, of course, decimate any life in your sandbed. They will also smother or bury corals with sand (even ones not on the bottom, they rise in the water column and spit sand as they feed) which can be a serious problem with any coral that's not good at shedding sediment. This includes any SPS coral of course. They're also top-notch jumpers.

If you just want to stir your sand without killing all the life in it, a Holothuria (tiger tail) sea cucumber or two will work wonders. A Halichoeres wrasse or any other wrasse that buries will also do a pretty good job of stirring up the sediment. Problem is they often settle on one spot in the aquarium.
 
I got some sand sifting snails from john yesterday.

I think he was talking about the spotted goby, I think. Its the one that is in his big reef tank. he has some of those for about $17 I think. Ill let you know about the snails, I put them in last night and when I get home see how much they have "Sifted"
 
Minh, I kept an Orange Spot once(aka Diamond). Little guy kept my sand pristine! He did make a burrow but, he would leave his home to do his chores. BTW, John had a good size Orange Spot yesterday when I was at Yourreef, just a heads up.
 
i've had a lot of luck with the six spot sleeper goby (Valenciennea sexguttata) and the pink spotted shrimp goby (Cryptocentrus leptocephalus). they both tend to leave sand on any corals i leave on the bottom of the tank but, so far, i haven't had any issues with them getting up into the water column and spreading the sand. as matt already told you, though, most gobies are fantastic jumpers...keep something covering the top of the tank for at least a few weeks.

goodluck!
-danny
 
Marmot - thanks for the heads up. I think the Goby you are thinking of is the one that I purchased from YourReef yesterday.

I would love to cover my tank with something - but yesterday, I did a temporary swap of Hamilton 250w 10K SE for Hamilton 250w 14K SE. I also swapped out the regular Lumenarc III (w/o AC) for Lumenarc III mini (with AC and a glass cover). The tank is considerably less bright - so I am not sure I want to put egg crate ontop of my tank. :(

NU2SW - I think you were also thinking about the diamond goby. He had an awesome specimen in his large tank.

Thanks for all the commendation so far. Please keep the recommendations coming.

Minh
 
I want to get one of the diamonds they are awesome, But with a scooter dragon and a mandarin I want to get, Im going to need lots of pods. Luckily MY refug is just booming with pods.
 
Pink spotted shrimp goby does tend to arrange sand and therefore rock but once he decides on a home, the redecorating does subside.
 
I would have to agree with Pico1 about those Nassarius distortus or Super Tongan Nassarius Snails. I have 1 in my 30gal and he does great for his size.
 
I just picked one up tonight from john, Man its a neat fish.... I knew exactly where he was going to choose for home, Have a rock that has a cave, went striaght there and started sifting sand for his home.....
 
I have glass covers... only apart is where I have some pipping going into the tank but I can probably put something around it so it doesnt try and jump, its a small opening...
 
you'll be surprise how these jumper can find even the smallest opening to jump through.
 
Just out of curiousity - what is the highest that most fish will jump? I am bulilding my canopy. The canopy is about 11" above the top of the tank trip and is an open top. I am wondering if I need to put some egg crates on top of the canopy or if most fish can't even jump that high.

I will put egg crates on the back side though.
 
Get a cucumber they do nothing but eat and won't "completely" burry your corals with sand. They are more beneficial to a sand bed then a goby IMO. I have had 1 of my cukes for 4+ years now!
 
Regarding:
"you'll be surprise how these jumper can find even the smallest opening to jump through."

I have not had a Goby, but would like one. Do they seem to just randomly jump or do they seem to seek out holes in the cover?
 
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