Sand Sifting Creatures?
 

Just wondering what are some good sand sifting creatures I can add to my reef tank?

Right now I have 2 brittle stars, some nassarius snails, turbo snails, a lawnmower blenny, some BL hermits and 2 clowns. Im just starting out. Thats all Ive got in a 165G tank so far.

There is a sand sifting starfish and sand sifting gobies that work well.

What kind of goby and star? These are reef safe?

Orange Diamond gobies are good sandsifters.

I have a white sandsifting sea star in my 95 gal

My female Maroon Clownfish does an exceptional job of excavating the substrate below her anemone.

I also have a Diamond gobie for a week or so my tank was pretty cloudy it has settled done a lot know. Cool fish.

Brown bar aka dragon goby.

Ken

Be aware that white sand sifting starfish are excellent predators, which means they are very good at stripping the sandbed of most life! Some people don't mind that, others don't want that.

My favourite sand sifters are Rainford's Gobies (also very good algae eaters), and various small Conches (Strawberry, Fighting, Orange Lip, etc). Be aware that Rainford's eat a lot, and will likely never take prepared foods.

Sea cucumbers work alright cleaning small areas of the sandbed at a time. I've had a tiger tail for several years without incident.

I got a dragon goby today, was told by the lfs that its very good for sand sifting. Last time I look at my tank he was working already

I definately need to look into something for my tanks. What's good with a Porc Puffer????

dragon gobies like hair algae too

I got one in my personal tank at home.

Ken

Sand Sifting Creatures?
 

I have a sand sifting star and a dragon goby. I have beautiful white sand with plenty of little critters in it. It seems they don't always get to the bottom of the sand and this must seed the upper layers. Since the sand star is growing and doing well after 8 months it seems he is not going to starve to death like some people say they can.

My daughter named our dragon goby "Norbert" from "Harry Potter" LOL

i have have s sandsifting star that could use a new home. pm me if interested

Sand dollars and Tiger tails

I have a Hector's Goby that sifts sand, but seems to like algae better. Cool fish though.

If you are just starting out there is no need to add anything.
What you want is a sand bed thriving with all kinds of critters.
You do not want a lifeless sand bed.
Maybe add a a small conch after six months.

My sand sifting star fish does a good job, I prefer them over a goby because they don't spit sand all over corals.

Good call.

Get Orange or Fighting Conchs. I have both and they're herbivores and very peaceful. They bury in sand sometimes and come out to eat. When you buy conchs, make sure they're not whelks because sometimes they can look similar. Easiest way to tell is that conchs have 'jump' forward motion instead of sliding like most snails, when they move.

Sand sifting stars will eat all life out of you sand bed so i would Not keep one.
Sand sifting star will do fine as long as there is any life left in the sand, and then it will die.
In short it is a loosing battle to keep sand bed "alive" you need critters and sifters, but after sifters are done with critters the sand is Dead.

So unless you are in the vicinity of the tropical beach and can replace live sand easily i would stay away from the sand.
Its Not an easy choice (sand looks good) but way safer and easier to go bare bottom (BB), because all sand will do is it will accumulate detritus and then it will lead to a tank crash.