sand sifting gobies

sir_dudeguy · 02/11/2007, 10:32 AM

Are there any smaller sand sifting gobies that do not require deep enough sand to burrow? This would be for my 29. I would like a sand sifter for this tank, but the sand is only about 1/2 inch at the most.

Are there any sifters that dont need to burrow? I had a diamond goby with about 1.5 inches a while ago, but he burrowed under the rock.

Any suggestions?

naterealbig · 02/11/2007, 10:49 AM

I have a dragon goby aka banded goby that does not burrow. I have it in my 60 gal tank with an 'established' 3" sand bed. Sometimes I wonder if there is enough food for him even in there though. My girlfriend wanted one for her 29, and I wouldn't let her get it. Likewise, I would dissuade you from putting a fish such as this in your 29, unless he is eating 'prepared' food.

sir_dudeguy · 02/11/2007, 10:54 AM

ya thats what i was thinking. I have had a couple gobies in the past (sand sifter ones) and they all did take frozen mysis and whatnot.

any others?

naterealbig · 02/11/2007, 12:58 PM

Well, I really don't like to give advice unless I have had the experience personally. This is the only sand-sifting goby I have had, and he doesn't accept food - although I have talked to people with this fish who claim theirs has. If the goby accepts food, I would definately give it the OK. And, to confirm your original concern, the goby that I have does not burrow at all. He's more or less a normal fish, but he hangs around the bottom 60% of the time. And he sifts like a MADMAN. My sand is always clean and white since I got him.

sir_dudeguy · 02/11/2007, 07:45 PM

well, i bit the bullet and got a small diamond goby. He's maybe 2 inches right now. He's sifting the sand like crazy already and some of the cyano (which is the main reason i got him...its all over the sand) is already gone.

However the sand is maybe a half inch tops, so what i did so that he can burrow is i got a little tupperware thing (actually its one of those Cheerio's containers that you give to little kids so they can snack on cherios

)...its about 2-3 inches high, so what i did was filled it w/sand and put a decent sized rock on top of the sand in there. He found it in about 2 minutes and has already burrowed under it

So i should be good as far as having a good home for him. I also found out that he's already taking frozen plankton (which my old one did too) so feeding him wont be an issue.

I'll be posting before and after pics of the sand as soon as he cleans it. So hopefully by next week i'll have some good pics

Zestay · 02/11/2007, 08:21 PM

but before and after pix are the best sir)dudeguy!

NickBee · 02/11/2007, 08:35 PM

My diamond is a sand sifting machince!

http://www.nickbee.com/vids/goby1.wmv

It took him a week to show himself. It took about 3 weeks before he ate with the rest of the group. Now he eats anything put into the tank and he keeps the sand nice and cleanâ€¦

sir_dudeguy · 02/11/2007, 09:43 PM

NickBee- thats how my first one was. I bought him (and he was a good...4-5 inches) and then didnt see him one bit for about a whole weekend. Then the 3rd or 4th day he was in there, he started coming out. Then 2 days later the whole sand was white. And that was a 55g tank. This one is smaller by a bit, but only a 29g tank with a lot less sand, so it should go faster, plus this one is already sifting.

02/11/2007, 10:32 AM	#1
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	sand sifting gobies Are there any smaller sand sifting gobies that do not require deep enough sand to burrow? This would be for my 29. I would like a sand sifter for this tank, but the sand is only about 1/2 inch at the most. Are there any sifters that dont need to burrow? I had a diamond goby with about 1.5 inches a while ago, but he burrowed under the rock. Any suggestions?

02/11/2007, 10:49 AM	#2
naterealbig Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 2,252	I have a dragon goby aka banded goby that does not burrow. I have it in my 60 gal tank with an 'established' 3" sand bed. Sometimes I wonder if there is enough food for him even in there though. My girlfriend wanted one for her 29, and I wouldn't let her get it. Likewise, I would dissuade you from putting a fish such as this in your 29, unless he is eating 'prepared' food. __________________ My skimmate has notes of saffron, and a hint of lilac.

02/11/2007, 10:54 AM	#3
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	ya thats what i was thinking. I have had a couple gobies in the past (sand sifter ones) and they all did take frozen mysis and whatnot. any others? __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

02/11/2007, 12:58 PM	#4
naterealbig Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 2,252	Well, I really don't like to give advice unless I have had the experience personally. This is the only sand-sifting goby I have had, and he doesn't accept food - although I have talked to people with this fish who claim theirs has. If the goby accepts food, I would definately give it the OK. And, to confirm your original concern, the goby that I have does not burrow at all. He's more or less a normal fish, but he hangs around the bottom 60% of the time. And he sifts like a MADMAN. My sand is always clean and white since I got him. __________________ My skimmate has notes of saffron, and a hint of lilac.

02/11/2007, 07:45 PM	#5
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	well, i bit the bullet and got a small diamond goby. He's maybe 2 inches right now. He's sifting the sand like crazy already and some of the cyano (which is the main reason i got him...its all over the sand) is already gone. However the sand is maybe a half inch tops, so what i did so that he can burrow is i got a little tupperware thing (actually its one of those Cheerio's containers that you give to little kids so they can snack on cherios )...its about 2-3 inches high, so what i did was filled it w/sand and put a decent sized rock on top of the sand in there. He found it in about 2 minutes and has already burrowed under it So i should be good as far as having a good home for him. I also found out that he's already taking frozen plankton (which my old one did too) so feeding him wont be an issue. I'll be posting before and after pics of the sand as soon as he cleans it. So hopefully by next week i'll have some good pics __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

02/11/2007, 08:21 PM	#6
Zestay Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: gainesville, FL Posts: 1,622	but before and after pix are the best sir)dudeguy!

02/11/2007, 08:35 PM	#7
NickBee Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Northern, NJ Posts: 624	My diamond is a sand sifting machince! http://www.nickbee.com/vids/goby1.wmv It took him a week to show himself. It took about 3 weeks before he ate with the rest of the group. Now he eats anything put into the tank and he keeps the sand nice and cleanâ€¦ __________________ Livestock: Yellow Tang Blue Spotted Toby Foxface Blue Damsel 2 True Percs Flame Hawk 6 Line Wrasse Coral Banded Shrimp 6 Assorted Snails Current Tank Info: 75 Gal AGA FOWLR, 30 Gal Sump, Turboflotor 1000 Multi Skimmer, 10 Gal Fuge

02/11/2007, 09:43 PM	#8
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	NickBee- thats how my first one was. I bought him (and he was a good...4-5 inches) and then didnt see him one bit for about a whole weekend. Then the 3rd or 4th day he was in there, he started coming out. Then 2 days later the whole sand was white. And that was a 55g tank. This one is smaller by a bit, but only a 29g tank with a lot less sand, so it should go faster, plus this one is already sifting. __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!