Detritus eaters?

[Amanda]

[Can you please tell me something that will clean up all the crap on the top layer of DSB? It is my understanding a sand sifting will wreck a DSB. Is that correct? How about a brittle or serpent will they get my fish, shrimp or snails? Please no crabs I do love my conch but she stays on the glass. Thanks for any and all input!]

 

[melev]

[I have two serpent stars that never venture out of the rockwork. You can get a Tiger Tail Cucumber at Planet Pet like I did, and that helped. But I also have a Fighting Conch in my DSB. Betwixt the two, it looks very clean. (In my 55g)]

 

[Kc189]

[I have two fighting Conch that do a very good job in my tank! They never go on the glass in my 60G. My turbo snails seem to clean the sand as well which seems a little weird but hey it works. Marc I have heard some very bad things about Cucumbers, like when they die they can wipeout most of your life in the tank if you dont get them out very quicky. Is this true?
Keith]

 

[melev]

[If a cucumber gets stuck in a powerhead, it'll die and cause havoc. That is what I've read, so I keep an eye on mine. My Tiger Tail isn't much of a traveller, but does work a small area pretty thoroughly.]

 

[Kevin Trotman]

@Kc189 wrote:

[This refers to the more colorful and ornamental sea cucumbers, especially the ones often labeled Sea Apples. A tiger cuke is a great sandbed cleaner and not toxix & seldomever even seen. I used to have two. One was wiped out by a very curious or very stupid angelfish who wanted to see what was inside I guess. The other I saw him last week for the first time in months, he used to be about the size of my finger and now he's more like just smaller than my arm. I couldn't believe it was the same cuke. One can take care of a 100 gallon tank pretty efficiently though.]