Today is the day!

Well today is the day i am buying a sand sifter fish. I heard lots of opinions and want to go through the list 1 more time before making the final decision. So far I have heard...

Diamond goby
Yellow watchmen goby
Scooter blennie
orange spot goby
dragon goby

I have 29 gallon biocube, and was wondering what is a good sand sifter fish, withought worrying about its size later on. Thanks!

 

i wouldnt get the scooter blenny - all the others are alright tho...

 

yes but also thats alot of fish for a 29 gallon tank so i would only get one fish right now and slowly build up your live stock. another good sand sifter is cerith snails plus they eat algae and detritus but if your looking for a fish diamond or watchman goby is good but only get one or he other

 

The only reasonable choice you have in your list is the orange spot, and it still isn't a serious sand sifter.
Diamond gobies get too big for your tank. Yellow watchmen is OK, but doesnt sift much sand. A scooter blenny isn't even a blenny or a goby, it's a dragonette, with special care requirements and does not sift sand. A dragon goby gets over a foot long, and even more importantly, is a brackish fish, not saltwater.
I am sorry, but I would not say today is the day. It seems you have not done much research on these fish. Study up on a future purchase as much as possible!
For a 29 gallon and sand sifting, you would be better off looking towards inverts.

 

I just listed what ppl said it will be a good 29 gallon sand sifter, and just wanted to make sure which one I should go from the list. But as for now Orange spot just might be the choice..? like packleader said

 

Cerith snails do not sift sand nor eat detritus Perhaps your were thinking of nassarius snails? They are great sand sifters. But, they do not eat algae.

 

I would avoid the sand sifting star because it will quickly clean out the food in the sand and then stave. While some of the sifting fish you have listed will also take food.

J

 

I would say go with a bullet goby. It will do a great job of cleaning your sand bed. I think it will be fine in a 29 as well depending on what the rest of your stock list is/will be.

 

Get some Nasserius snails they are awesome sand sifters. Then get a fish you really want and can accomodate. Maybe do some more research, get a fish you really want.

 

I've kept dragon gobies in SW tanks successfully for over a year and currently have one in a 58g that is 100% reef and he is doing very well, I'm not sure I'd put one in a 29g tank that hasn't been setup for a long time though, they need to be able to sift constantly, they will eat prepared foods but unless you feed daily they'll eventually starve