Good Detrivore for 45 Gallon
 

Hi all so i have had my 45 gallon tank set up for a while now, probably 2 months or so. I had it cycling with a chromis and bought a small zebra eel. I just got some more live stock tho including a kole tang, 2 ocellaris clowns, and another chromis and there is a lot more detritus on the bottom of the tank (from the tang mostly). I am looking for a good detrivore, wanting more of a sand sifter. ATM i have 10 cerith, and 15 nassarius snails for a CUC. o and i don't really want any hermits.

My set up is the 45 gallon tank with a 10 gallon sump housing a 65gallon coralife super skimmer and a green killing machine UV sterilizer. And my fuge will probably b operational in a few days.

Thanks, Ian

Tiger Tail sea cucumber is your best friend.
Like one on this picture.
http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/112...e/lg_16770.jpg
The reason is that its safe in case it it dies it will not kill all your fish, Black cucumber will wipe all fish out if it dies.

Ok I was kinda thinking of a cucumber but didn't know what one would b a good addition to my tank.

Check out Nassisarius (sp?) snails. I love how well they work at finding and eating up any leftover foods in the tank. They hide in the sand and pop up like submarines as soon as any food hits the surface. Nice looking snails too, so that's a bonus.

Ive got a tiger tail in my 46Gal from a fellow canreefer and its done a great job of cleaning all the nooks and crannys up. I get to see it every blue moon and watch it sift through the sand. Neat creature.

Yea they r really cool little snails I have some in the tank ATM but they are not eating the detritus. They r doing a great job of eating the left over food tho. Hey zum14 do u have any other sand sifter in the tank? I am kinda worried that if I get o e that there won't b enough food for both the tiger tail and the nassarius. What do u think?

Thanks, Ian

Has anyone bred nassarius snails in their display/refuge

or are they one of those snail's that just don't seem to breed in most peoples tanks?

maybe u can try a sand shifting starfish.

I was thinking of getting one of those as well. Anyone know the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Thanks, Ian

I personally would get a few banded serpent stars. just for now

any info on your flow? are you using a filter sock?

Hey. No other sand sifters in the tank. I have been watching it for a while. Ive been told they only really move around if there is no food so its a good sign there hungry if they keep changing spots and to be honest, just the one tiger tail is probably taxing the tank. I overfeed a bit as I have some shrimps that will attack corals if hungry and even with that there doesnt really seem to be any collected detritus in the corners or up against the rocks.

I just had a nassarius lay a bunch of eggs on the glass last week. I just got back into town, so I haven't had a chance to see if they've hatched. From my understanding, nassarius don't breed often in captivity but when they do they survive quite well.

I have a 29G skimmerless with a small perc and a-blenny hoping the 8 nassarius will breed do u think the tank is too small 4 them to breed? I've been adding 1/16 th of a tsp of dried cyclopeeze along with the regular perc food

I'm really not too sure what the factors are that are needed to encourage breeding (maybe lots of food?), though I'd be interested to find out. This is the first time I've seen my nassarius lay eggs so we'll have to wait and see if the eggs even make it to the one month mark when they'll hatch.

Well i dunno i will have to do some more research and c if a serpent, brittle or and sifter sea star would b best or a tiger tail.