[Tarek]

The reason I ask is because I've set up a 4.5" DSB in my new 72 gal FOWLR, in which I intend to keep a Picasso Trigger, Peacock (Toby)Puffer, and possibly a Pseudochromis. Despite having read up on the subject, I somehow missed the fact that bristleworms and other detrivores are absolutely essential for a working DSB. I was originally under the impression that they'd be helpful, but that the DSB would still work without them. After having posed a question to Dr. Ron on ReefCentral, I now know differently.

Thus, I'm now left with the option of keeping a fairly useless DSB, or seeding it with some detrivore / live sand activator kits and risk it all becoming lunch for a Trigger, Puffer, or Pseudochromis.

So far, I only have the Trigger in a separate tank, and have not even bought a Puffer or Pseudochromis yet, so if I introduce detrivores, I can give them a good head start on getting established. Generally, I know that these fish don't tend to dig alot in the sand, looking for food, but I have no experience with how often detrivores come up to the surface of a DSB, or how well they can evade predators.

What would you do in such a situation?

-Tarek

[jwtrojan44]

I can only speak on the trigger. I briefly had a picasso in my 55. I have a 4.5 in .dsb in the tank. I underestimated how well triggers can dig. While he was not looking for food, he frequently burrowed under rocks to make himself a den and really disturbed the bed quite a bit. They also have the interesting habit of taking mouthfuls of sand and blowing it out all over the tank. This did keep the top layer of substrate stirred, but it was the intense digging that concerned me. I had him for about four days until I made the decision to return him to the lfs, partially due to the mess. I doubt he had any negligible effect on the sand bed as I always see pods/worms, etc.. however they are diggers. My guess is that with a well established dsb, the critters could keep pace with the fish. Just my .02 JWT