Baby Fish

[Lanee]

I was looking in my tank a while ago and I believe my fish have had babies. In my tank are 1 blue tang, 1 clown, 1 damsel, 2 engineer gobies, asst snails, crabs, few corals, 1 peppermint shrimp. These "babies" I saw in between 2 rocks and just above the rock that my 2 gobies live under. Gobies are about 8 inches long now. I thought they were pods maybe but I kept watching and they look like fish. They have a fish body with a tail. IF they are babies they can't be more than a week old, they appear to be transparent, I think. Swimming around, not crawling like pods typically do. Does anyone know if engineer gobies typically breed in captivity and will they eat their young? IF they are fish, what are my chances of any surviving with the inhabitants that I have listed? Any advice or help is appreciated.

Well, I did some reading and apparently they typically lay their eggs on top of their cave which is where the babies are now. About a week ago, I had a snail, I think it's a nassarus, the kind that like to live under the sand and it has a long antenna, or feeler. This snail came up from under the sand a few inches away from the entrance to their cave and one of my gobies "attacked" it. Quicker than you could actually see it, it grabbed the snail and was gone with it into his cave. This snail is pretty big too. The snail came back out about a minute later but with a missing antenna. I could not believe what I was seeing. Perhaps the goby was protecting his young? Strange.

Thanks in advance
Lanee

 

[Luis A M]

I bet you have mysis Can you see eyes?
You could siphon some out and check.Only way to catch them!
I never heard of Pholidichtys being bred in aquariums,but it should be possible in a large tank with a DSB.Reportedly,they take care of the fry until they are big.Cool project!

 

[papagimp]

My thoughts went to mysis as well. I have plenty living ever so happily in my refugium, and the do kinda resembly little transparent fish swimming around down there.

 

[billsreef]

I have known of engineer gobies breeding in aquaria, so it could well be them.

 

[Luis A M]

Unlikely.Big eggs=big fry
But it will be great if you tell us more.I find this fish very interesting,albeit too big and messy for the typical aquarium.