Inverts to stir sand bed

[sixty_reefer]

Horse shoe crab is like a bulldozer for sand if you got a tank big enough to house one

 

[Gtinnel]

they clean amazing, they look amazing, and if your not careful, the kill your tank amazingly fast. some less so than others, but be careful when using cukes, they can become nukes


as a wise rambler once said, "you slumber, a cucumber"

I knew that at least some of them can nuke the tank, but thanks for making sure I was aware.

 

[Gtinnel]

Horse shoe crab is like a bulldozer for sand if you got a tank big enough to house one

Yep I definitely don't have room to keep a crab that gets to 1.5 feet long. I did have one when I first started into the hobby many many years ago. It didn't survive long, but looking back at it I had no idea what I was doing. I'm surprised anything survived in that tank.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Horse shoe crab is like a bulldozer for sand if you got a tank big enough to house one

they don't though

 

[sixty_reefer]

Yep I definitely don't have room to keep a crab that gets to 1.5 feet long. I did have one when I first started into the hobby many many years ago. It didn't survive long, but looking back at it I had no idea what I was doing. I'm surprised anything survived in that tank.

They love bristle worms if you have enough they will do well, mine was a slow grower stayed with me for a few years before been re homed. Sand always looked awesome though

 

[Gtinnel]

They love bristle worms if you have enough they will do well, mine was a slow grower stayed with me for a few years before been re homed. Sand always looked awesome though

I do have plenty of those. It would eat well in my tank.

 

[SlugSnorter]

They love bristle worms if you have enough they will do well, mine was a slow grower stayed with me for a few years before been re homed. Sand always looked awesome though

they can bulldoze more than just sand, and can be quite hard to keep.

 

[sixty_reefer]

they can bulldoze more than just sand, and can be quite hard to keep.

As long as you got food and space they will be fine, obviously if you got corals on the sand bed they will go as they are really strong.

 

[SlugSnorter]

As long as you got food and space they will be fine, obviously if you got corals on the sand bed they will go as they are really strong.

this whole thread is about inverts to stir sand in a tank in a way that wont disturb corals :|

 

[sixty_reefer]

this whole thread is about inverts to stir sand in a tank in a way that wont disturb corals :|

Humm maybe you should of mentioned that in the opening thread don’t you think? Am not a mind reader you know!

 

[Gtinnel]

this whole thread is about inverts to stir sand in a tank in a way that wont disturb corals :|

This is very true, I was specially looking for ones that wouldn't, or at least less likely, to pester corals.
I wouldn't be willing to put a horshoe crab in my tank anyway after seeing how big they can get when I found one on the beach one year.

 

[Gtinnel]

Humm maybe you should of mentioned that in the opening thread don’t you think? Am not a mind reader you know!

The person you replied to isn't the one who started the thread, and that part was in my second post (#6). You don't have to be a mind reader when I said I was trying to avoid anything that would pester corals.

 

[CanuckReefer]

they clean amazing, they look amazing, and if your not careful, the kill your tank amazingly fast. some less so than others, but be careful when using cukes, they can become nukes


as a wise rambler once said, "you slumber, a cucumber"

True, there can be a small imo element of risk. Tiger Tails and the pink one @dvgyfresh mentions have a safer reputation. Keep powerheads off the bottom area is key. Many of the examples of the nuke job are from being chopped up....

 

[Gtinnel]

True, there can be a small imo element of risk. Tiger Tails and the pink one @dvgyfresh mentions have a safer reputation. Keep powerheads off the bottom area is key. Many of the examples of the nuke job are from being chopped up....

So do they all have the ability to nuke a tank, or is it just certain ones? All of my powerheads are up near the surface so I doubt being chopped up would be much of a risk.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Humm maybe you should of mentioned that in the opening thread don’t you think? Am not a mind reader you know!

im not op, but they said it within the thread ( I dont mean to sound sarcastic, misunderstandings happen to all of us)

 

[SlugSnorter]

So do they all have the ability to nuke a tank, or is it just certain ones? All of my powerheads are up near the surface so I doubt being chopped up would be much of a risk.

they all do, and make poison when they are hurt, stressed or dead. Some are more deadly than others, so its best to be extra sure theres nothing in your tank that will hurt or stress them and you'll be good. They are amazing cleaners and pretty as corals (most of them anyway, their all cool though)

 

[WheatToast]

Some bristleworms are also good at sand sifting (though most hide away in rockwork). If you have none in your tank, you could buy some on eBay, but I have always had them hitchhike on live rock.
Sand dollars are technically an option, but they deplete sandbed biodiversity and subsequently starve, like Horseshoe crabs and Sand-sifting starfish. You could try feeding them sinking pellets, but I would just avoid these three sand-sifters in most cases.
Finally, Cleaner clams require frequent phytoplankton dosage, so they would also not be ideal.

 

[CanuckReefer]

So do they all have the ability to nuke a tank, or is it just certain ones? All of my powerheads are up near the surface so I doubt being chopped up would be much of a risk.

From my understanding they all have the ability to nuke but some far less likely than others, from what I've read. There was an article on here, I posted the other night about them, I'll try and find it again. FWIW I've had mine for over 15 years, and love it. The benefits far outweigh the risks IMO.

Watch I'll get nuked tomorrow now lol...

 

[SlugSnorter]

From my understanding they all have the ability to nuke but some far less likely than others, from what I've read. There was an article on here, I posted the other night about them, I'll try and find it again. FWIW I've had mine for over 15 years, and love it. The benefits far outweigh the risks IMO.

Watch I'll get nuked tomorrow now lol...

they are really cool, some are more toxic than others, they all can nuke, but if they aren't hurt or stressed they are amazing. when they die if you take them out quickly and water change, you shouldn't have a problem. Wouldn't hurt to run carbon though

 

[Gtinnel]

Some bristleworms are also good at sand sifting (though most hide away in rockwork). If you have none in your tank, you could buy some on eBay, but I have always had them hitchhike on live rock.
Sand dollars are technically an option, but they deplete sandbed biodiversity and subsequently starve, like Horseshoe crabs and Sand-sifting starfish. You could try feeding them sinking pellets, but I would just avoid these three sand-sifters in most cases.
Finally, Cleaner clams require frequent phytoplankton dosage, so they would also not be ideal.

I've got plenty of bristleworms. It used to be when I fed the tank they would crawl out from everywhere. It was cool and alarming all at the same time. Since getting a wrasse they now only come out at night.