Sand Sifting Animals?

[laurac94]

I am thinking of using sand (play sand) in my new 75 gallon set up I am going to put south American cichlids in (acara, severum, some large tetra, pictus cats, rainbow cichlids and my sailfin pleco)
Are there any fish, or any other type of animal which will sift the sand to keep anaerobic pockets from forming, I know there are fish like loaches that will do this but will they get eaten?
I dont plan on putting any plants in there either, just rock and bogwood so what about some burrowing animal?
I have never used sand in a set up before so im a complete newbie to this.

Any other ideas?
Thanks all

 

[CJH0825]

I have 6 loaches and 2 Kribensis in my 55 gallon, Along with other tank mates and they all get along fine. Loaches usually only come out at night. They are fast! They stay hidden pretty well during the day.

 

[Wills]

Hi I think you should be okay with the fish you have your cichlids will dig and the pictus will part bury them selves and root around as well. Having live plants will help.

Personally when I do cichlid tanks with sand I usually only put a small layer of sand so it just covers - when I first used sand I put in a couple of inches for the plants but as you will find with cichlids (particularly severums) plants dont do amazing... and you can only really keep the really hardy types of plants like Swords, Valis, Java Fern and Anubias
 
Wills

 

[DerpPH]

Geophagus all the way! They eat food particles in sand and they do sift quite often!