Sand Cleaners Needed

[sen5241b]

At one point I had a layer of algae covering most of my sand. I got two large, red clawed Hermit crabs and they picked up every single pebble and grain of sand in my 29G nano, twirled it in there mouth cleaning it and dropped it back down snow white. One killed the other and I took one back to the store. It was great entertainment to watch them fight although that was not my intention with them.

Now I am getting some brown algae under the sand with little bubbles in it. What reef safe sand cleaners can I get for this? I have some turbos, copepods and amphipods but they're not enough. I don't think turbo snails burrow much in the sand either.

 

[messiah023]

Sen,

How about a sand sifting star or goby? I have both in the tank and they seem to keep things in check.

 

[reeffreak]

Cerith and nassarius snails make good sand stirrers.Queen conch and fighting conches make good sand cleaners.

 

[Altohombre]

I have 6 Nassarius snails and they seem to do a good job. As soon as food is introduced they pop out of the sand and graze over all of it eating the leftover food.

 

[Bifferwine]

You're right, turbo snails don't work on sand.

I would avoid a sand sifting star. Unless they are put in really large tanks that have been established for a long time, they quickly starve to death. Not to mention, they eat beneficial things that live in the sandbed.

Nassarius snails and conches are your best bet.