rainford gobies, cyanobacteria, commensal shrimp and highfins...

Sk8r · 07/07/2007, 06:23 PM

Had one of those odd events---we got what may be a pair of rainfords: they hang together, and did in the store, so we got them both. We also got commensal shrimp, a candycane for our highfin redstripes and a tiger for our yellow watchman. Plus we got a pearly jawfish.

The very shy, reluctantly feeding rainfordi had been hanging near the bottom, shacking up under the gsp with the highfins.

Today we added the shrimp. Each went where we hoped. The candycane headed for the gsp. The tiger for the watchman's hole in the rocks.

The watchman is displaying nonstop.

But our hitherto shy highfins burst forth, the little---I suppose---male is hovering and courting the shrimp, and the rainfordi came out and immediately started feeding---on a small patch of nuisance cyano, mingled with a little green. They're lighting into the cyano with great enthusiasm, ripping up patches of it.

And the curious thing is the 'instant community.' Everyone was spooky until the shrimp arrived. Now they're out and about and full of it.

reefD · 07/07/2007, 06:26 PM

cool! when things take and do what you expect its always rewarding! great to hear!

MTB · 07/07/2007, 07:25 PM

Very nice! The goby/pistol pairs are so cool to watch.

Trigeek · 07/08/2007, 08:33 AM

That's great!! Take some of pics of your new community!!!!

Sk8r · 07/08/2007, 08:35 AM

And if the rainfords like the cyano, I'm leaving it be. They're such touchy feeders.

Saw one near two inches long---in the lfs being boarded for a chap who's moving. You'd take him for a wrasse if you didn't recognize his pattern. I sure hope my little guys reach this size. He must be the upper end for growth on this species. And I didn't realize how big my own watchman had grown until I got this cluster of little guys out and about. He's going for mini-whale, and I wish I could figure how to pick an opposite-sex number for him/her/whatever.

Anybody know whether gobies do the sex-change thing as clowns do? Anything in the goby family do it, that you know about? Mandarin 'gobies' don't, but they're not gobies, either: dragonets. So I remain uncertain on the issue of goby pairings. The fact these two rainfords have matched up very young indicates to me they may not change, so any ywg I got would be a 50/50 dice shoot as to whether it would be sushi or darling.

07/07/2007, 06:23 PM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	rainford gobies, cyanobacteria, commensal shrimp and highfins... Had one of those odd events---we got what may be a pair of rainfords: they hang together, and did in the store, so we got them both. We also got commensal shrimp, a candycane for our highfin redstripes and a tiger for our yellow watchman. Plus we got a pearly jawfish. The very shy, reluctantly feeding rainfordi had been hanging near the bottom, shacking up under the gsp with the highfins. Today we added the shrimp. Each went where we hoped. The candycane headed for the gsp. The tiger for the watchman's hole in the rocks. The watchman is displaying nonstop. But our hitherto shy highfins burst forth, the little---I suppose---male is hovering and courting the shrimp, and the rainfordi came out and immediately started feeding---on a small patch of nuisance cyano, mingled with a little green. They're lighting into the cyano with great enthusiasm, ripping up patches of it. And the curious thing is the 'instant community.' Everyone was spooky until the shrimp arrived. Now they're out and about and full of it. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/07/2007, 06:26 PM	#2
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	cool! when things take and do what you expect its always rewarding! great to hear! __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

07/07/2007, 07:25 PM	#3
MTB Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Illannoy Posts: 1,365	Very nice! The goby/pistol pairs are so cool to watch. __________________ Got Frags? Current Tank Info: 40 breeder. Kessil lights. Reef octopus skimmer. Vortec mp40 x2.

07/08/2007, 08:35 AM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	And if the rainfords like the cyano, I'm leaving it be. They're such touchy feeders. Saw one near two inches long---in the lfs being boarded for a chap who's moving. You'd take him for a wrasse if you didn't recognize his pattern. I sure hope my little guys reach this size. He must be the upper end for growth on this species. And I didn't realize how big my own watchman had grown until I got this cluster of little guys out and about. He's going for mini-whale, and I wish I could figure how to pick an opposite-sex number for him/her/whatever. Anybody know whether gobies do the sex-change thing as clowns do? Anything in the goby family do it, that you know about? Mandarin 'gobies' don't, but they're not gobies, either: dragonets. So I remain uncertain on the issue of goby pairings. The fact these two rainfords have matched up very young indicates to me they may not change, so any ywg I got would be a 50/50 dice shoot as to whether it would be sushi or darling. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/08/2007, 08:33 AM	#4
Trigeek Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Broward County, FL Posts: 638	That's great!! Take some of pics of your new community!!!!