The Goby Blues

scubalauren · 01/21/2009, 04:46 PM

I have had about 5 sandsifter gobies over the last year and they really like to die.

I researched after I lost the 4th one and found out that they usually starve to death so the last goby I purchased lasted for about 3 months. It ate the shrimp I feed the other fish so I thought it was doing great. I even threw in some shrimp pellets so it would get extra food. Well, yesterday this one said goodbye to this world and became a good meal for my Lobster. Everything reads normal and the other fish are fine. The only thing I can think of is that I slacked off on the shrimp pellets because the foxface now eats them whole and I was afraid it would be overfeed. Why don't these goby's make it. Do I need to wait before I add another one. Has anyone had luck with this fish? If so, what in the world are you doing to keep it alive? Any info on this fish would be very much appreciated. Thank you!!!!

ronin_man · 01/21/2009, 05:24 PM

what size of goby ?

scubalauren · 01/21/2009, 05:35 PM

I've only seen one size here at the shops I've been too, so they are consistantly about 5-6 inches long...approx.

ronin_man · 01/21/2009, 05:41 PM

do you know exactly what kind they were ?

scubalauren · 01/21/2009, 05:43 PM

I've had the white one's with the bright orange spots and the white one's with the yellow mouth. If there any other sandsifters that are easier to maintain I would love to know about them.

scubalauren · 01/21/2009, 05:48 PM

yellow headed sleeper and the diamond goby

indydog1 · 01/21/2009, 07:06 PM

at only 1 year up and running, you defineately do not have an abundance of food for these guys to live happily ever after. what is your substrate, and how deep? these guys need a very established reef aquarium in which to thrive, not just survive.

texhorns98 · 01/21/2009, 07:11 PM

I've had my pink and blue spotted wachman for 3 months now. He's the only one who's made it through a total tank wipeout, actually. For whatever reason, he's sifting sand lately (even though he's not a true sand sifter, apparently). I feed Ocean Nutrition formula 1 and 2 (not too much of it now) and he LOVES it.

Packersfan21 · 01/21/2009, 07:12 PM

I would also keep an eye out on that lobster. I have a Debelius reef lobster that took out my yellow head jawfish the first day it was in the DT.

scubalauren · 01/22/2009, 09:27 AM

My substrate is about 4 inches deep and they make their homes under the LR. What would suggestions be for the depth? Also, how old should the tank be before i add a goby back into it so it's gets all the proper nutrition? When I do add one back I will try the Ocean Nutrition formula 1 and 2. Thanks everybody!!!

Sk8r · 01/22/2009, 09:38 AM

I second watching that lobster. They may not be starving.

L98-Z · 01/22/2009, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sk8r
I second watching that lobster. They may not be starving.

01/21/2009, 04:46 PM	#1
scubalauren Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 138	The Goby Blues I have had about 5 sandsifter gobies over the last year and they really like to die. I researched after I lost the 4th one and found out that they usually starve to death so the last goby I purchased lasted for about 3 months. It ate the shrimp I feed the other fish so I thought it was doing great. I even threw in some shrimp pellets so it would get extra food. Well, yesterday this one said goodbye to this world and became a good meal for my Lobster. Everything reads normal and the other fish are fine. The only thing I can think of is that I slacked off on the shrimp pellets because the foxface now eats them whole and I was afraid it would be overfeed. Why don't these goby's make it. Do I need to wait before I add another one. Has anyone had luck with this fish? If so, what in the world are you doing to keep it alive? Any info on this fish would be very much appreciated. Thank you!!!!

01/21/2009, 05:24 PM	#2
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	what size of goby ? __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube

01/21/2009, 05:41 PM	#4
ronin_man Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Posts: 181	do you know exactly what kind they were ? __________________ i used to think a 33gal tank was big... now my 150 seems kinda small... Current Tank Info: freshwater ray tank 180gal system, community/show pleco tank 65gal FW, community tank 33gal FW, 29gal SW biocube

01/21/2009, 07:06 PM	#7
indydog1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: round lake, il Posts: 1,590	at only 1 year up and running, you defineately do not have an abundance of food for these guys to live happily ever after. what is your substrate, and how deep? these guys need a very established reef aquarium in which to thrive, not just survive. __________________ Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself Current Tank Info: 210 gal

01/21/2009, 07:12 PM	#9
Packersfan21 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Wabash, IN Posts: 920	I would also keep an eye out on that lobster. I have a Debelius reef lobster that took out my yellow head jawfish the first day it was in the DT. __________________ 90 gallon reef: 1 black ocellaris clown, 1 kole tang, 1 hippo tang, 1 mimic tang,1 leopard wrasse, 1 chromis, 75 gallon FOWLR: 1 blue-spotted puffer, 1 flame angel, 1 snowflake eel Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef and 75 gallon FOWLR

01/21/2009, 05:35 PM	#3
scubalauren Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 138	I've only seen one size here at the shops I've been too, so they are consistantly about 5-6 inches long...approx.

01/21/2009, 05:43 PM	#5
scubalauren Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 138	I've had the white one's with the bright orange spots and the white one's with the yellow mouth. If there any other sandsifters that are easier to maintain I would love to know about them.

01/21/2009, 05:48 PM	#6
scubalauren Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 138	yellow headed sleeper and the diamond goby

01/21/2009, 07:11 PM	#8
texhorns98 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 732	I've had my pink and blue spotted wachman for 3 months now. He's the only one who's made it through a total tank wipeout, actually. For whatever reason, he's sifting sand lately (even though he's not a true sand sifter, apparently). I feed Ocean Nutrition formula 1 and 2 (not too much of it now) and he LOVES it.

01/22/2009, 09:27 AM	#10
scubalauren Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 138	My substrate is about 4 inches deep and they make their homes under the LR. What would suggestions be for the depth? Also, how old should the tank be before i add a goby back into it so it's gets all the proper nutrition? When I do add one back I will try the Ocean Nutrition formula 1 and 2. Thanks everybody!!!

01/22/2009, 09:38 AM	#11
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I second watching that lobster. They may not be starving. __________________ 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%.