most benifical fish

which do you feel is the most benifical fish to a sand bottom reef tank no sps, and why. thank you and God bless.

 

Hmm...do you mean which will be the most functional? meaning that it has a job in taking care of the tank or...

 

yes most benifical to the tank in what ever capacity

 

hmmm this is a tough one...well it really depends on what sort of job you might find more benificial...a jeweled blenny will take care of some algae, some wrasses will eat parasites off other fish, some gobies will sift the sand...its all a balance...hard to choose one overall good benificial fish

 

I dont think there is one true animal that will take care of the entire sand bed. I think you need to combine a team to help keep the sand bed healthy and clean at all times, but also taking into consideration the competition for food within the sand. Tiger tail cucumber does a great job sifting the sand beneath rocks. Nassarius snails burrow themselves, so they will stir the outside of the sand. Any type of goby, watchman or not will continually stir the sand. My pink spot stirs my sand while looking out for his buddy and his stomach is fat. A good sign of a healthy sand bed sustaining life.

 

I had a gold head goby, he sift the sand well but made a big mess with the sand all over my corals. I traded him in. I have a bicolor blenny and he eats all the green hair algae that grows in the tank.

 

For the sand I would have to say Nassarious snails are great. I have a really big Goby thats about 3.5 inches that lives with its Pistol Shrimp. These guys have made tunnels all the way around under every rock in the sand. There has to be a sophisticated network of tunnels because they will go in on 1 end of the reef and pop up at the other tunnel 6 hours later. I see sand falling in around the rocks all the time and occasionally I will wake up to a softball size mound of sand at a new entrance they have made over night. Very interesting pair to watch. That Goby is just goofy to look at. They have smaller breeds of gobys buy I like the bigger one like I have. I will look up the name later for you. Oh yea, I have seen the Goby eat large bristle worms but loves all types of seafood and flakes....whatever he will eat it. So the snails and goby are great for sand. For algae on liverock the tangs are great. A simple yellow tang is great and they are stunning I think,plus inexpensive. I also have a Bi-colored Blenny like reeflover. Interesting little guy will make his home in the strangest places.

Heres a pic of the Goby....I will try to find its name.

Jay

 

Its the - Blue Spot Watchman Shrimpgoby - and they are for sale here FYI. Togather with the shrimp they make a sand stirring team!

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_1...ategory=4&category_search=61&root_parent_id=4

Jay