How to get rid of Yellow Goby?

rob020880 · 10/22/2008, 07:56 PM

Hello,

I have a yellow goby that loves to nip at my sps. I have been trying to get him out for the past four days and am very frustrated. Does anyone have any suggestions on how this might be accomplished? So far I have been trying to net him, and I also attached a hose to the suction end of a maxijet and tried to suck him in but he's to smart for that. I actually sucked him in once when I got him cornered but he just went through the pump and got away.

OneReef · 10/22/2008, 08:06 PM

I had the same problem one time. I put a big net about halfway down in the tank, and squirted some cyclopeeze near the surface, over the net. I had all the pumps off so that the cyclops would stay in one place above the net and not blow all over. The yellow clown goby finally mustered up the courage to come over and start nipping at the cyclops floating on the surface and he was above my net. When I felt the time was right, I jerked the net straight up and caught him. worked for me.

rob020880 · 10/22/2008, 10:04 PM

I will give this a shot but I have the feeling that my goby will not go for the food if he sees my hand in the tank.

OneReef · 10/23/2008, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rob020880
I will give this a shot but I have the feeling that my goby will not go for the food if he sees my hand in the tank.

My hand was not in the tank. I had a net with a long handle on it and I stuck the net down in the water with the handle part resting on the tank rim. Kinda at a 45* downward angle. That kept the net still, and allowed me just to stand there without my arm getting tired, and just wait for him to make his move....

rob020880 · 10/23/2008, 06:44 PM

I don't think I am going to be able to get rid of this goby. I am extremely frustrated and have given up. Do you think that if he is kept well fed he will not nip at the sps?

jennmac415 · 10/23/2008, 07:07 PM

I have read that yellow clown gobies live among the SPS in the wild, sitting up on them, so he is just doing what he is accustomed to...I had one in another tank and he would just sit on the branches...probably nipped too, but I never saw him.

rob020880 · 10/23/2008, 08:22 PM

I see mine nipping all the time. To the point that the frags he likes no longer extend their polyps. What can I do?

Raibaru · 10/23/2008, 08:46 PM

Do they sleep in the SPS too? Can't just net him when the lights are out?

rob020880 · 10/23/2008, 10:35 PM

Thats what I am trying now. I actually took his favorite coral and put it in the net. When he comes to sit on it I will take him out. I hope it works because I have tried the night time sneak attack already and failed miserably.

rob020880 · 10/23/2008, 11:04 PM

Is there anything that would kill a yellow clown goby?

Raibaru · 10/23/2008, 11:25 PM

I can't imagine you'd have to kill it. Just be patient and keep going at it at night. You'll get it eventually.

There is a 'trap' thread around these parts somewhere with numerous techniques to trap the fish. You can build a fish trap fairly easily too.

With a clown goby, you could try a bottle with the top cut off, and then inverted. Fish goes in, can't get out.

Or you can build a box with a drop door etc.

IPT · 10/24/2008, 12:25 AM

I do believe there are fish traps you can lure him into, then just close the door. MAy have to leave it in there a few days and bait it until he thinks it's safe.

widmer · 10/24/2008, 12:28 AM

1. Go to Home Depot and buy the 36 inch zip ties.
2. Go to the grocery store or target and buy the gallon-size clear plastic food bags
3. Make a net out of the above ingredients, by weaving the zip tie through holes you punch in the rim of the bag.
4. Put it in the aquarium in a location frequented by the goby. It will eventually swim into the bag's large opening because it doesn't realize its a trap. At that point just yank it out of the tank by the long end of the zip tie. Works every time.

pteam · 10/24/2008, 12:59 AM

Dont kill the fish! Thats horrible. That would be on your concious for a long time.

DLANDINO · 10/24/2008, 06:20 AM

I had the same problem with one that I placed in my tank. He aggravated both me and the corals within minutes. I then spent two hours standing on a chair over the tank with a net and a long maintanance tweezer. Fish trap didn't work for me. He soon grew tired of me chasing him and settled in a corner and I grabbed him. It was a long wet battle but I got him! When I posed the same question one of the responses that I got was to try and siphon him out of the tank with a 1 inch hose. It may be mentioned above but I must admit I didn't read all of the responses.

john rochon · 10/24/2008, 08:03 AM

a GOOGLE or RC search of the fish would have told you the nature of these gobys.

killing it, not sure how to respond to that comment

fish trap or remove everything.

rob020880 · 10/24/2008, 08:51 AM

Well after several days of battle I have won the war. I put his favorite coral in the net and he couldn't resist. This morning he was just enjoying destroying the coral as I pulled him out. Into the jar he goes and back to the lfs where I bought him.

Killing him was a last resort. But if he was picking at and killing over a grand of frags I was becoming desperate. Thankfully I caught him. This teaches me to never impulse shop at the lfs, I remember the worker at the lfs saying "oh yeah they're totally reef safe, they will just sit perched on the rocks all day" Since introduction of this goby there has been little or no polyp extension in my tank. Be careful with these cute little guys.

Fun $ Pit · 10/24/2008, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pteam
Dont kill the fish! Thats horrible. That would be on your concious for a long time.

Based on what's being posted.. I doubt it.

10/22/2008, 07:56 PM	#1
rob020880 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,019	How to get rid of Yellow Goby? Hello, I have a yellow goby that loves to nip at my sps. I have been trying to get him out for the past four days and am very frustrated. Does anyone have any suggestions on how this might be accomplished? So far I have been trying to net him, and I also attached a hose to the suction end of a maxijet and tried to suck him in but he's to smart for that. I actually sucked him in once when I got him cornered but he just went through the pump and got away.

10/23/2008, 07:07 PM	#6
jennmac415 premium member "reefmama" Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 1,903	I have read that yellow clown gobies live among the SPS in the wild, sitting up on them, so he is just doing what he is accustomed to...I had one in another tank and he would just sit on the branches...probably nipped too, but I never saw him. __________________ Jenni AKA "Reefmama" Current Tank Info: currently just have a 34 gallon.

10/24/2008, 06:20 AM	#15
DLANDINO D.L. Heritage Rings Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Clinton, CT USA Posts: 5,610	I had the same problem with one that I placed in my tank. He aggravated both me and the corals within minutes. I then spent two hours standing on a chair over the tank with a net and a long maintanance tweezer. Fish trap didn't work for me. He soon grew tired of me chasing him and settled in a corner and I grabbed him. It was a long wet battle but I got him! When I posed the same question one of the responses that I got was to try and siphon him out of the tank with a 1 inch hose. It may be mentioned above but I must admit I didn't read all of the responses. __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: JBJ 8 Nano mixed

10/22/2008, 08:06 PM	#2
OneReef Reef Guru Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: the great South Posts: 3,218	I had the same problem one time. I put a big net about halfway down in the tank, and squirted some cyclopeeze near the surface, over the net. I had all the pumps off so that the cyclops would stay in one place above the net and not blow all over. The yellow clown goby finally mustered up the courage to come over and start nipping at the cyclops floating on the surface and he was above my net. When I felt the time was right, I jerked the net straight up and caught him. worked for me.

10/22/2008, 10:04 PM	#3
rob020880 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,019	I will give this a shot but I have the feeling that my goby will not go for the food if he sees my hand in the tank.

10/23/2008, 06:44 PM	#5
rob020880 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,019	I don't think I am going to be able to get rid of this goby. I am extremely frustrated and have given up. Do you think that if he is kept well fed he will not nip at the sps?

10/23/2008, 08:22 PM	#7
rob020880 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,019	I see mine nipping all the time. To the point that the frags he likes no longer extend their polyps. What can I do?

10/23/2008, 08:46 PM	#8
Raibaru Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 979	Do they sleep in the SPS too? Can't just net him when the lights are out?

10/23/2008, 10:35 PM	#9
rob020880 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,019	Thats what I am trying now. I actually took his favorite coral and put it in the net. When he comes to sit on it I will take him out. I hope it works because I have tried the night time sneak attack already and failed miserably.

10/23/2008, 11:04 PM	#10
rob020880 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,019	Is there anything that would kill a yellow clown goby?

10/23/2008, 11:25 PM	#11
Raibaru Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 979	I can't imagine you'd have to kill it. Just be patient and keep going at it at night. You'll get it eventually. There is a 'trap' thread around these parts somewhere with numerous techniques to trap the fish. You can build a fish trap fairly easily too. With a clown goby, you could try a bottle with the top cut off, and then inverted. Fish goes in, can't get out. Or you can build a box with a drop door etc.

10/24/2008, 12:25 AM	#12
IPT Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alaska Posts: 3,197	I do believe there are fish traps you can lure him into, then just close the door. MAy have to leave it in there a few days and bait it until he thinks it's safe.

10/24/2008, 12:28 AM	#13
widmer Drug Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Rochester, MN Posts: 2,958	1. Go to Home Depot and buy the 36 inch zip ties. 2. Go to the grocery store or target and buy the gallon-size clear plastic food bags 3. Make a net out of the above ingredients, by weaving the zip tie through holes you punch in the rim of the bag. 4. Put it in the aquarium in a location frequented by the goby. It will eventually swim into the bag's large opening because it doesn't realize its a trap. At that point just yank it out of the tank by the long end of the zip tie. Works every time.

10/24/2008, 12:59 AM	#14
pteam Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 81	Dont kill the fish! Thats horrible. That would be on your concious for a long time.

10/24/2008, 08:03 AM	#16
john rochon Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: canada Posts: 2,082	a GOOGLE or RC search of the fish would have told you the nature of these gobys. killing it, not sure how to respond to that comment fish trap or remove everything.

10/24/2008, 08:51 AM	#17
rob020880 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,019	Well after several days of battle I have won the war. I put his favorite coral in the net and he couldn't resist. This morning he was just enjoying destroying the coral as I pulled him out. Into the jar he goes and back to the lfs where I bought him. Killing him was a last resort. But if he was picking at and killing over a grand of frags I was becoming desperate. Thankfully I caught him. This teaches me to never impulse shop at the lfs, I remember the worker at the lfs saying "oh yeah they're totally reef safe, they will just sit perched on the rocks all day" Since introduction of this goby there has been little or no polyp extension in my tank. Be careful with these cute little guys.