any body breeding watchman gobies

[scbasser5]

I have (i think) mated pair of yellow watchman gobies. How can I tell for sure and what type of mating procedures will I notice?

Mine have been in seclusion for three or four days. The female comes out and eats now and then, but no sign of the male (that worries me).

I noticed when she comes out to eat she seems puffy espicailly around the gill area.

Any ideas??

 

[GreshamH]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=826505

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-12/ft/index.php

 

[scbasser5]

Thanks that is great reading.

 

[NicoleC]

Play-by-play of rearing them:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=684921

Also this thread on pairing:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=347239

Puffiness around the gill area is not a sign of spawning.

 

[scbasser5]

Nicole, thanks for the great threads. It looks like you have been giving this a whirl for some time now. I got my male gobie from a tank raised batch he was only about 1" long when I got him.

I doubt at this time I will be doing any breeding after reading how much trouble it is to feed the little buggers.

Thanks

 

[NicoleC]

You must have gotten yours from oceanarus' (Amy and Alan Drehmel) batches, who are here on RC from time to time. They are in South Carolina, and as far as I know, the only current commercial breeders out there. Amy wrote the article for ReefKeeping Mag.

My little guy is maybe 3/4" from nose to the very tip of his tail now, and he is 4 1/2 months old. It's a tough nut to crack, and I could have done it without Amy's help.

 

[scbasser5]

I bought the male from the local fish store but he said it came from a guy in Charleston that raises them and clowns too.

Good news though Daddy Gobie has shown back up he ran out and ate a few bites when i feed tonight.

After reading some of your posts, I assumed he was faning the nest. But I have no proof of that, just both of them usually eat everytime I put something in there and they have been very well hidden for about 5 days now.

I hope they are just doing their mommy / daddy thing and not something wrong with them. I get a kick out of watching them.

 

[NicoleC]

Yep, that's Alan and Amy.

Start keeping a calendar of disappearances. If it's regular at about 30 days, then they are spawning. Even if they are not spawning, these fish are very secretive and shy, so there may not be anything wrong, they may just be hanging out somewhere hidden.