Fish for stirring up sandbed?

iReefer12 · Mar 8, 2020

Outside of Sleeper gobies, what other fish will help turn over the sandbed and keep it clean. Sleeper gobies are awesome at this job, but I’ve had 2 waste away on me, they just can’t get enough food.

Tank is 220 gallons.

Maybe an engineer goby?

Webslinger · Mar 8, 2020

Diamond gobie,

iReefer12 · Mar 8, 2020

Diamond gobies are amazing, but I can’t keep them fat in my tank for some reason.

Idoc · Mar 8, 2020

Diamond goby...i supplement feeding mine with a Turkey baster and frozen food every couple days to keep him healthy and plump. He sees that Turkey baster and comes right up to eat directly out of it now, lol.

A conch also works well to stir up the sand bed.

H2OMG · Mar 8, 2020

iReefer12 said:
Outside of Sleeper gobies, what other fish will help turn over the sandbed and keep it clean. Sleeper gobies are awesome at this job, but I’ve had 2 waste away on me, they just can’t get enough food.

Tank is 220 gallons.

Maybe an engineer goby?

Diamond Goby For Sale (Valencienna puellaris). TOP Care facts. Reefs4Less.com

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iReefer12 · Mar 8, 2020

I have 2 Conchs, they don’t do a whole lot to stir up the sand.

I refuse to try another diamond or yellow head goby, I would use the turkey baster and squirt food towards them and they would eat a bit but be scared off by the bigger fish. After 5 months or so they disappear

H2OMG · Mar 8, 2020

H2OMG said:
Diamond Goby For Sale (Valencienna puellaris). TOP Care facts. Reefs4Less.com

Diamond Goby for sale 4Less! Top Care Facts For The Diamond Goby (Valencienna puellaris) Care Level: Easy Temperament: Peaceful Reef Safe: Yes Diet: Carnivore Origin: Indian Ocean

www.reefs4less.com

Diamond gobies are awesome. I've had no trouble getting them to accept other feeds when the sand gets super clean. They will occasionally bury any and all live rock lol. Very hearty and interesting personalities imo.

Jeeperz · Mar 8, 2020

Maybe some type of sand sleeping wrasse? Not sure if they sleep in the same spot though

Webslinger · Mar 8, 2020

Great fish.

JDavisCorals · Mar 8, 2020

Engineer gobies will not turn your sand over significantly.
I'm definitely siding with the other guys that a Diamond goby is a great choice for that. But since you have such a large tank i would think you would have better luck with a large gold head goby.
Sand siffting starfish are another option as well

H2OMG · Mar 8, 2020

JDavisCorals said:
Engineer gobies will not turn your sand over significantly.
I'm definitely siding with the other guys that a Diamond goby is a great choice for that. But since you have such a large tank i would think you would have better luck with a large gold head goby.
Sand siffting starfish are another option as well

A combination of stars, gobies, maybe a couple cucumbers? I don't see how you could go wrong if you have the real estate. Engineers are rad, but they have always rearranged the scape a bit much for my liking.

WayMeem · Mar 8, 2020

IMO nobody really does the work like any of the various sleepers or a diamond. I’ve kept Gold head and banded sleeps myself. While I’ve never had one waste away on me and not accept prepared foods, I’ve had a few individuals like just loved to make a mess!

My tank is similarly sized to yours. I went with a more SSB this setup, so I haven’t risked a sleeper again, but I have a sizable nassarius snail population that does turn some sand when they all come out to feed. Combined with a rainfords goby who cleans the surface sand, seems to be making the grade.

iReefer12 · Mar 9, 2020

Thanks for all the advice. My tank is 2 years old, the rock is from my previous tank and I’ve had for close to 8 years, for some reason just cannot keep Sand Sifting Gobies, can’t bear to lose another one at this point, but agree that they are the best at this job.

I might try a couple cucumbers and more nessarious, maybe more conchs.

Mr Fishface · Mar 9, 2020

I had a sleeper goby for a little bit. It did wonders for the sand but like you said it eventually just wasted away. I think I really want to get some tigertail cucumbers when I restart my tank and give those a shot. I have a conch and will say it doesn't do much for stirring the sand. Granted one conch in a 125g is not much, but even in my 40b it never seemed to make a noticeable dent.

madweazl · Mar 9, 2020

Hmm, all of my diamond gobies have readily taken food from the water column. I've had issues with a couple jumping (they cant now) but never food. Current one is a little lazy at sifting sand because it gets so much food I think.

ekopapers · Mar 9, 2020

My bullet goby is a sand sifting beast. He also easts any algae he can find (off rocks, glass and coral) as well as the pellets and frozen foods I feed my tank with.

Miller535 · Mar 9, 2020

I don't know if your tank is reef or fowler. But a goatfish is always an option. They will not touch corals but will eat just about any invert, other then maybe snails and urchins. And they do get big

https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/688/?pcatid=688

iReefer12 · Mar 9, 2020

Nice! These are 2 options I didn’t know about. Bullet Goby and Bicolor Goatfish.

I’m always one for risking it Reef Safe fish, do you think the Goatfish would eat cleaner shrimp? Nessarius snails? Conchs?

Bullet goby is what I’m leaning towards right now.

rustyreefer · Mar 9, 2020

+1 on Diamond goby

Miller535 · Mar 9, 2020

iReefer12 said:
Nice! These are 2 options I didn’t know about. Bullet Goby and Bicolor Goatfish.

I’m always one for risking it Reef Safe fish, do you think the Goatfish would eat cleaner shrimp? Nessarius snails? Conchs?

Bullet goby is what I’m leaning towards right now.

I doubt the goatfish would eat the snails, but when big enough I do think he would eat any shrimp.