Who's your favourite (or not) sand sifter ?

[chandigz]

Originally Posted by pink spider

By the way, Diamond Goby and Orange spotted goby aren't the same at all.

The orange spotted goby is a shrimp goby, he'll never clean out the sand.

The Diamond Watchamn Goby is a sandsifter... probably the best one out there. There's also the Golden Head Goby that does a great work too.

Diamond sleeper gobies and orange spotted sleeper gobies are the same. It depends where they are shipped from. Same scientific name different common name. They are a sleeper goby but I've seen them listed as gliders as well but I've never seen them listed as diamond watchmen gobies. Watchmen gobies are usually shrimp gobies as they act as a watchman for the shrimp. Anyhow To many common names out there often makes things difficult.

[xtreme]

Diamond Watchman Goby (Valenciennea puellaris) and Orange Spotted Goby (Amblyeleotris guttata). Definitely two different species.

[chandigz]

Originally Posted by xtreme

Diamond Watchman Goby (Valenciennea puellaris) and Orange Spotted Goby (Amblyeleotris guttata). Definitely two different species.

ya those are two different species but check out the common names in the description of the diamond goby. When talking about sand sifters orange spotted Can also be the same species. Thats the problem with "common names", they can be common with different species.

[gregzz4]

Thanks xtreme - I have those 2 on my list

Any more faves ?
And what ones to avoid ?

Tank is eggcrated and sand is aragamax select

[Jaws]

What about a pink spotted shrimp goby?

[gregzz4]

Any experience with one ?
Added to list

[Snufflupagus]

I have a sand star and a silver dollar in my 150, they seem to do a fair job.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

And what ones to avoid ?

Signigobius biocellatus (Twinspot, Two Spot, Signal, Crabeye, 4-Wheel Drive Goby) is probably best avoided. In saying that, two of us who have replied to this thread have one: and they are being successfully kept.

The word on the 'Net is that they should always be purchased in pairs, are typically full of parasites, and do not get enough to eat in our tanks (as they will only sift sand).

From what i understand, one will keep watch while the other eats, and then they'll switch off. I have a very peaceful tank, so my little goby does not appear anxious. I think he'll do okay by himself, as long as I keep a peaceful tank and don't do something dumb like add a damsel.

I haven't dewormed him, and there has been no evidence that he has worms. None-the-less, I have read that deworming them is vitally important, so I think I'll be doing that before he is moved to the new display tank.

I have to inject food into the sand to keep him fed. This is working very well, though it is a pain in the backside. He gets a mysis, brine, spirulina, Garlic Gaurd cocktail, which I inject about a 1/2" deep into the sand using an old dose measuring syringe.

He is a very cool little fish, and is very interesting to watch. They are not available aquacultured, unfortunately, and they're probably best left in their natural habitat.

[Jaws]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

Any experience with one ?
Added to list

My experience has been good but they don't usually do a whole lot of roaming around the tank from what I remember. Neat personalities though and nice looking too.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Nassarius snails are great because, unlike most other obligate sand-sifters, these can be placed into a relatively new tank since they are scavengers. As soon as you put food into the tank, they'll rise up out of the sandbed like a bunch of mini-Uboats Excellent for keeping the tank clean in case of accidental overfeeding and this also keeps any bristle worm population from exploding since the N. snails eat up the uneaten foods.