Diamond Goby

SaltyNovice · 05/01/2006, 06:24 AM

I need help!!!

I have now purchased two diamond gobies and lost both in less than 24 hours. I can not see any evidence of them jumping out of the tank.

My params are great.

The fish seem to be great when I put them in. They proceed to dig like crazy for the first day. The next morning - no signs what-so-ever of them. The first one I lost about 3 weeks ago. The most recent - this weekend.

Other inhabitants:

Flame Angel
CB
Blue Devil
2 - Royal Damsels
Yellow Tail Damsel
6 Turbo Snails
6 Assorted Hermits
BTA
3 Feather Dusters

120 gal

Any help out there? Can the sand be toxic? Can the sand be too fine? What do you guys think?

SaltyNovice

oct2274 · 05/01/2006, 08:02 AM

you have some pretty mean fish in there........i'm guessing if it was killed it, it was the damsels/blue devil. They love to harass fish........your bta might have got them too......they are pretty wimpy fish

ACBlinky · 05/01/2006, 09:37 AM

Agreed, these guys don't mix well with semi-agressive fish like damsels and angels IME. Did you notice any harassment? If so, they may have been killed or they may have made themselves a cave under a rock and decided to hide until the threat goes away.

Toddrtrex · 05/01/2006, 09:42 AM

Are you 100% sure that they are both gone?? That happened to me once, hadn't seen a fairly new one in about a month, thought it had died. I went ahead and picked up a new one. Well, it turns out the other one was still in the tank. As luck would have it, one of them juemp out that night.

SaltyNovice · 05/01/2006, 11:47 AM

I guess I'm not 100% sure - haven't seen any dead bodies as of yet. As far as the harassment (sp), the Blue Devil did dive bomb him twice that I noticed - then he dug a hole under a rock and just kept digging all afternoon. He settled down and was eating before the lights went out. I would check on him during the day and could find him by following the "smokey" looking sand sifting through the tank - but I haven't seen any "smoke" now for over 24 hours. This is the same thing that happened to the first one and I haven't seen any evidence of sand movement.

I was wondering if the sand could be toxic or if they died under the rocks or something? I guess I won't try any more gobies!

What would you guys suggest for something to sift my sand - if the gobies can't handle the other fish?

tulkas71 · 05/01/2006, 11:56 AM

Mine dug up under the rocks.
Rocks shfted and had a few fall.
Never found a body in or out of tank.
Couldnt tear tank apart to dig him out.

my Nitrates went off that test kit range (110)
and are only come down to 30.
Id make a very through attempt to locate the bodies especialy since you have 2 rotting in there somewhere.

As an aside Ive never seen a post reguarding this fish that wasnt the casue of alot of grief.

Do a search and youll see what I mean.

pwachs · 05/01/2006, 12:06 PM

What about getting a sand sifting star?

SaltyNovice · 05/01/2006, 01:26 PM

I'll have to do some research on the sand sifting stars. I'm not sure there is much more that will do the job I need?

tulkas71 · 05/01/2006, 02:35 PM

Just get a about 25 nessarius(sp) snails. (add more if you think you need any. I just dont believe in the 1 snail per gallon idea.)

do you have a DSB?

SaltyNovice · 05/01/2006, 02:47 PM

Yes, I do have a DSB. That's why I was wondering about toxic possibilities?

Is there a big difference in the Turbo's and the snails that you mentioned? Nassa? (sp)

tulkas71 · 05/01/2006, 03:26 PM

Turbos are big a mainly stay on your LR and dont care for sand.
Nessarius snails and approx 1/4 the size and pretty much stay in the sand bed eating uneaten food an fish crap. most just kinda creep along just under the surface.

As far as the dead gobies, if there in there and decomposing you'll probably have a small cycle. keep an eye on amonia/trite/trates.
do large water changes if you start seeing anything major.

Eventually bacteria in the sandbed and a good cleanup crew absorb the fish. Heh, I myself am still not out of the woods yet

05/01/2006, 06:24 AM	#1
SaltyNovice Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Amarillo Posts: 292	Diamond Goby I need help!!! I have now purchased two diamond gobies and lost both in less than 24 hours. I can not see any evidence of them jumping out of the tank. My params are great. The fish seem to be great when I put them in. They proceed to dig like crazy for the first day. The next morning - no signs what-so-ever of them. The first one I lost about 3 weeks ago. The most recent - this weekend. Other inhabitants: Flame Angel CB Blue Devil 2 - Royal Damsels Yellow Tail Damsel 6 Turbo Snails 6 Assorted Hermits BTA 3 Feather Dusters 120 gal Any help out there? Can the sand be toxic? Can the sand be too fine? What do you guys think? SaltyNovice

05/01/2006, 09:37 AM	#3
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	Agreed, these guys don't mix well with semi-agressive fish like damsels and angels IME. Did you notice any harassment? If so, they may have been killed or they may have made themselves a cave under a rock and decided to hide until the threat goes away. __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

05/01/2006, 09:42 AM	#4
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	Are you 100% sure that they are both gone?? That happened to me once, hadn't seen a fairly new one in about a month, thought it had died. I went ahead and picked up a new one. Well, it turns out the other one was still in the tank. As luck would have it, one of them juemp out that night. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

05/01/2006, 11:56 AM	#6
tulkas71 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Birmingham, Alabama Posts: 155	Mine dug up under the rocks. Rocks shfted and had a few fall. Never found a body in or out of tank. Couldnt tear tank apart to dig him out. my Nitrates went off that test kit range (110) and are only come down to 30. Id make a very through attempt to locate the bodies especialy since you have 2 rotting in there somewhere. As an aside Ive never seen a post reguarding this fish that wasnt the casue of alot of grief. Do a search and youll see what I mean. __________________ No man is an island, but some are penninsulas Current Tank Info: 55gl 260w PC lights, Odyssa PS75 HOB skimmer, 2 MJ 1200 powerheads, and an unknown model cannister filter

05/01/2006, 02:35 PM	#9
tulkas71 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Birmingham, Alabama Posts: 155	Just get a about 25 nessarius(sp) snails. (add more if you think you need any. I just dont believe in the 1 snail per gallon idea.) do you have a DSB? __________________ No man is an island, but some are penninsulas Current Tank Info: 55gl 260w PC lights, Odyssa PS75 HOB skimmer, 2 MJ 1200 powerheads, and an unknown model cannister filter

05/01/2006, 08:02 AM	#2
oct2274 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 2,347	you have some pretty mean fish in there........i'm guessing if it was killed it, it was the damsels/blue devil. They love to harass fish........your bta might have got them too......they are pretty wimpy fish

05/01/2006, 11:47 AM	#5
SaltyNovice Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Amarillo Posts: 292	I guess I'm not 100% sure - haven't seen any dead bodies as of yet. As far as the harassment (sp), the Blue Devil did dive bomb him twice that I noticed - then he dug a hole under a rock and just kept digging all afternoon. He settled down and was eating before the lights went out. I would check on him during the day and could find him by following the "smokey" looking sand sifting through the tank - but I haven't seen any "smoke" now for over 24 hours. This is the same thing that happened to the first one and I haven't seen any evidence of sand movement. I was wondering if the sand could be toxic or if they died under the rocks or something? I guess I won't try any more gobies! What would you guys suggest for something to sift my sand - if the gobies can't handle the other fish?

05/01/2006, 12:06 PM	#7
pwachs Moved On Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: River Falls, WI Posts: 67	What about getting a sand sifting star?

05/01/2006, 01:26 PM	#8
SaltyNovice Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Amarillo Posts: 292	I'll have to do some research on the sand sifting stars. I'm not sure there is much more that will do the job I need?

05/01/2006, 02:47 PM	#10
SaltyNovice Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Amarillo Posts: 292	Yes, I do have a DSB. That's why I was wondering about toxic possibilities? Is there a big difference in the Turbo's and the snails that you mentioned? Nassa? (sp)

05/01/2006, 03:26 PM	#11
tulkas71 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Birmingham, Alabama Posts: 155	Turbos are big a mainly stay on your LR and dont care for sand. Nessarius snails and approx 1/4 the size and pretty much stay in the sand bed eating uneaten food an fish crap. most just kinda creep along just under the surface. As far as the dead gobies, if there in there and decomposing you'll probably have a small cycle. keep an eye on amonia/trite/trates. do large water changes if you start seeing anything major. Eventually bacteria in the sandbed and a good cleanup crew absorb the fish. Heh, I myself am still not out of the woods yet __________________ No man is an island, but some are penninsulas Current Tank Info: 55gl 260w PC lights, Odyssa PS75 HOB skimmer, 2 MJ 1200 powerheads, and an unknown model cannister filter