Fish for scavenging sand bed?

[jervismun]

Hi guys, I'm sure you've seen my setup. I have very thin sand bed. The sand bed is getting kinda messy-looking and algae is starting to appear. Can you guys recommend a nice fish that will fit nicely into my setup.

If you guys can provide photos and links, that will be wonderful!!! Many in advance.

[Qxnviolet]

Algae starting to appear on the sandbed? Hrmz, are you using any phosphate remover?

[jervismun]

Algae starting to appear on the sandbed? Hrmz, are you using any phosphate remover?

I'm only using 1 piece of RowaPhos sponge. Is that sufficient? My Phosphate reading is 0. I guess it's normal coz my MH is really intense. The algae is just beginning, not very spread out yet. I heard blenny can do the job alright... anyone?

[Qxnviolet]

Im not sure if an algae blenny will eat green hair algae. But Am has lots when i went there today.

[jervismun]

Im not sure if an algae blenny will eat green hair algae. But Am has lots when i went there today.

What other fishes or inverts can do the job well? I also need a hungry guy to remove fish food that drop to the bottom. My Chromis will not eat from the sand bed, it's not natural to them, I read.

[FuEl]

Shrimps make better work of eating uneaten food from the sandbed. As for algae control either reef-safe hermit crabs, sally lightfoot crabs, emerald crabs, abalones or urchins. Algae blenny goes mostly for diatoms. Fish that eat green hairy algae you can try small rabbitfish or even small tangs.

[jervismun]

Shrimps make better work of eating uneaten food from the sandbed. As for algae control either reef-safe hermit crabs, sally lightfoot crabs, emerald crabs, abalones or urchins. Algae blenny goes mostly for diatoms. Fish that eat green hairy algae you can try small rabbitfish or even small tangs.

Thanks! Wow a long list to choose from

[d88p]

you can also get starfish, garden eel, slug, diff types of prawn, hermit crab, hermit snail etc

[iantoh]

hi there jervismun,

if youre looking for a sand sifting goby, the two spot goby is a cute choice, though it will require alot of diatoms and organic material within the sandbed to sustain. in light of that, i think the shrimps recommendation by bro fuel is best. i love ###### shrimps in particular, as theyre tiny, go about eating detritus without you needing to actually feed them, and you can keep a breeding group that might aid in in-tank plankton through their eggs and larvae should they mate.

a sand dollar is also pretty cool, as it stays on the sandbed, hardly ever venturing up your rockscape, and constantly sifts through your sand.

cheers,

ian

[Terryz_]

Is it diatoms or hair algae... Sea hare will be good but i think will be too big to fit into your tank...

Try to get more of the snails, it will help...

[jervismun]

hi there jervismun,

if youre looking for a sand sifting goby, the two spot goby is a cute choice, though it will require alot of diatoms and organic material within the sandbed to sustain. in light of that, i think the shrimps recommendation by bro fuel is best. i love ###### shrimps in particular, as theyre tiny, go about eating detritus without you needing to actually feed them, and you can keep a breeding group that might aid in in-tank plankton through their eggs and larvae should they mate.

a sand dollar is also pretty cool, as it stays on the sandbed, hardly ever venturing up your rockscape, and constantly sifts through your sand.

cheers,

ian

Will my 2" Sunburt prey on those tiny ###### shrimps? What will be a good number based on my tank setup (bearing in mind each costs $8.00 of course, lol). Do they group or wander loosely? Do they need hiding places or some kinda coral for protection?

in advance

[Qxnviolet]

Hrmz, i just got a sand shifter star today....now my sandbed is kept clean by a sea cuke, a sand shifter and a 2 spot goby. What i do not like about the 2 spot is that it always digs a hole under my corals....not a small one mind you.... Haha, but have to agree with ian thats its a cute little fish. Hrmz, would ###### shrimps be advisable for a 3Ft? Will they go missing or get eatan up by my fishes or inverts?

[FuEl]

###### shrimps will tend to stay around each other. They form non-obligate associations with many corals, meaning that they are not host specific and they can survive well without a host. A host makes them feel more secure though. One of their natural hosts in the wild are Heliofungia sp. Fungia should work as well and they are hardier compared to their long tentacled cousins. $8 for a single ###### shrimp is seriously overpriced. If you know where to get them and you order in bulk you can easily get them for $3 per pc. Of course a certain quantity would be needed (>10). 10 shrimps should be ok for your tank.

[hammerhd]

get a couple of gon gon. Cheap some more. Like rockfish's tank. Sandbed veri clean

[jervismun]

get a couple of gon gon. Cheap some more. Like rockfish's tank. Sandbed veri clean

Gon Gon? Got pix to share? Yeah my sand bed is getting more and more untidy.

[Dazza]

Goat fish ....

[kokhui]

Ever thought of going BB?

[jervismun]

Ever thought of going BB?

Nope... I think BB is not very natural looking unless I cover the entire glass floor with Zoos or something. I already added some Rowaphos sponge to the filter to starve those annoying algaes off Phosphate. Will look for more cleaning ah-soh tomorrow. Saw some tiny little black snails (cone shape) at Henry's last week. Maybe get 20 of them, lol. And a starfish that will help clean my glass.

[hammerhd]

Gon Gon? Got pix to share? Yeah my sand bed is getting more and more untidy.

err a pic of it

http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildshores/mo...strcanarium.htm

[juscool]

Get the 2 Spot Goby and you will be facinated. This guy vacuums my sandbed like a hoover. Within a day, its all white and clean. No problem with sand shifting as you can easily shift it back since yoiu have a thin layer of sand.

2 spots disappears at night, but will work well for you.

I bought my ###### shrimp for $4 each. You can get them at AquaMarine now.

The ###### shrimp has taken my plate coral as host. Shifted the plate coral and the ###### followed.

[colinsoon]

the cone shaped snails, also known as cerith snails, have suicidal impulses. i had 5, 2 crawled out of my tank, the other into my powerhead... left 2 now... partially buried in the SB.... think they will be better if you cook them in sauce and eat as zhut zhuts...

[Terryz_]

the cone shaped snails, also known as cerith snails, have suicidal impulses. i had 5, 2 crawled out of my tank, the other into my powerhead... left 2 now... partially buried in the SB.... think they will be better if you cook them in sauce and eat as zhut zhuts...

The last part is funny... lol..

Cerith snail... Not bad, they stir up the sandbed when burrowing and they eat small hair algae... But they normally stay near the sandbed only..

[iantoh]

hi there bro,

i doubt the anthias will make a meal of the ###### shrimp, so that shouldnt be a big worry. do consider a sand dollar, as i have one now, and its doing a brilliant job, being constantly either on or beneath the surface of my sandbed, consuming detritus and diatoms and what not.

cheers,

ian

ps: the general price for ###### shrimps should be around $6. thats the usual price at coralfarm and aquamarin, though of course, prices vary according to how much stock they have and periodical demand, but you shouldnt need to pay more than $6 for one.

[Qxnviolet]

Hrmz, comparing a sand dollar and a sea cuke, which one does a better job? Any ppl with experience out there? Thanks in adv!

[Dazza]

hi there bro,

i doubt the anthias will make a meal of the ###### shrimp, so that shouldnt be a big worry. do consider a sand dollar, as i have one now, and its doing a brilliant job, being constantly either on or beneath the surface of my sandbed, consuming detritus and diatoms and what not.

cheers,

ian

ps: the general price for ###### shrimps should be around $6. thats the usual price at coralfarm and aquamarin, though of course, prices vary according to how much stock they have and periodical demand, but you shouldnt need to pay more than $6 for one.

hihi yeah agree ###### shrimps shdnt be more than $6 . In fact i usu ask n quoted frm 3-5 at the pasir ris farms... even the big ones