Best Sand Sifting Goby
- Thread starter goldmullet
- Start date
My opinion, too.
I had a golden headed goby and he pretty much ate everything available in the sand within a few weeks and then passed away.
I'd only get a goby if you know how to take care of it long term.
dzhuo
Active member
That's another common name for this goby. Do you have a picture?
goldmullet
New member
I'll try and get a picture of him. But I have only seen him
Once so I'll try and sneak one.
Once so I'll try and sneak one.
thebkramer
New member
He's hungry. Look at this belly.
I know.. right!!!
Sadly.. this is how they come from LFS :sad1:
But I did get him direct from Quality Marine.. didn't give them time to acclimate him at LFS.. he's been sooo much fun!! lol And eats anything I put in tank! hahahah he'll be plump in no time!!!
:rollface:
goldmullet.. I'm sure your buddy will be out & about in no time!! :bounce3:
There was 3 different colorations at my LFS when I went to buy my little buddy.. I took the one that had the Brightest Oranges on him..
Markandamber
In Memoriam
what about the queen conches.. arent they sand sifters
My friend has a Yellow watchman/tiger pistol combo and I love watching the relationship. So interesting! I want to get a combo like this when my tank is up and running however I have a concern or really 2 questions,
1. I am running a 4"DSB in tank, will the above combo affect the DSB in a harmful way? Or vice versa (DSB releasing stored element compounds into burrow)?
2. Also, through this thread I have learned that watchman once paired don't really shift the sand, would adding a true snad shifting goby after the above pair hooked up be an issue for either goby (for top DSB agitation)?
1. I am running a 4"DSB in tank, will the above combo affect the DSB in a harmful way? Or vice versa (DSB releasing stored element compounds into burrow)?
2. Also, through this thread I have learned that watchman once paired don't really shift the sand, would adding a true snad shifting goby after the above pair hooked up be an issue for either goby (for top DSB agitation)?
DeniseAndy
New member
Any special methods to QT these sand sifters? I have a 210 display with 2" sand that could use some good cleaning. I currently have Conch, Nasarrius and I vacuum, but like these guys. Just want to keep everyone happy.
Thanks
Thanks
Looking for an answer on this as well.
OregonReefer
New member
My Diamond Spot Goby is the one fish in my tank that I didn't QT just because of the concerns I had about no sand in the QT.
Very interesting fish though... spends his days all over the tank. The sand is spotless... and he has a little cave he made to sleep in that he covers the entrance to every evening... Eats flakes and pellets
00Warpig00
New member
I have 3 gobies in my 180. A pair of Valenciennea Helsdingenii (Black Line Sleeper/Railway Sleeper) Goby and a single Valenciennea Strigata (Yellow Headed Sleeper) Goby. All three sift sand religiously and do a great job of it. NOTE: I do have a FOWLR tank and sometimes all three take a mouth full of sand and then swim up two inches or so and sift. Sometimes I get some sand on my live rock. Not a big deal for me but I have no corals.
As for QT. I QT'd all three (not at the same time first the yellow head, later the pair of Black Lines) in my 20GH with a small amount of sand for them to sift. my tank was set up same as normal QT with 4" PVC but i also put in about half of a 32 oz cup of sand from my DT into the QT. I cannot think of any reason you cannot use a small amount of sand IF your fish are healthy. Mine all were so it was not an issue. made them more comfortable and at home. IF you have to treat them you may not want the sand. I had NO ISSUES, but mine were healthy. after 6 weeks in QT just empty the QT tank and DISCARD the sand.
Provided a fish is healthy... the QT tank functions as Refuge for a fish that has been through allot to get to your house. A place to relax and not worry about other fish chasing it etc while it recovers from the stress it has endured. Also to verify unknown health of a fish. Observation and the fish to get used to you and your feeding schedules. IF not healthy then possibly treating it too. I'd probably remove the sand if I needed to treat the tank, but if there is no need to treat there is no reason I can think of to NOT use a little sand from a known healthy source like your healthy DT.
NOTE: I do not treat a fish of unknown health in my QT as a defacto standard. If I see issues yes, otherwise no. The fish has been through enough... If it is healthy it doesn't need treatment. Just my philosophy. I dont take drugs when I'm not sick either... lol
Nick
As for QT. I QT'd all three (not at the same time first the yellow head, later the pair of Black Lines) in my 20GH with a small amount of sand for them to sift. my tank was set up same as normal QT with 4" PVC but i also put in about half of a 32 oz cup of sand from my DT into the QT. I cannot think of any reason you cannot use a small amount of sand IF your fish are healthy. Mine all were so it was not an issue. made them more comfortable and at home. IF you have to treat them you may not want the sand. I had NO ISSUES, but mine were healthy. after 6 weeks in QT just empty the QT tank and DISCARD the sand.
Provided a fish is healthy... the QT tank functions as Refuge for a fish that has been through allot to get to your house. A place to relax and not worry about other fish chasing it etc while it recovers from the stress it has endured. Also to verify unknown health of a fish. Observation and the fish to get used to you and your feeding schedules. IF not healthy then possibly treating it too. I'd probably remove the sand if I needed to treat the tank, but if there is no need to treat there is no reason I can think of to NOT use a little sand from a known healthy source like your healthy DT.
NOTE: I do not treat a fish of unknown health in my QT as a defacto standard. If I see issues yes, otherwise no. The fish has been through enough... If it is healthy it doesn't need treatment. Just my philosophy. I dont take drugs when I'm not sick either... lol
Nick
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Gandolfe
New member
If you want your sand re-arranged on a daily basis, get a couple of Convict gobies. they will move your sand bed around every day.I have 2 that are over 16" long and my sand bed never looks the same as it did the daybefore. but they do make piles in corners and around rocks while digging caves, and they uncover my mangroves all the time as well as sand on the rocks. I actually wanted to not move them to my 125 from my 90 but I've had them for over 5 years and couldn't bring myself to get rid of them(2 of my original fish). I'm not sure they clean the sand that much but they doo keep it churned up and aerated. They actually look like zebra eels when they stretch out!
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listerofsmeg
New member
I had a chalk goby called Toby the Goby. It was a fantastic fish and I loved it, but it died because it ran out of food and wouldn't eat anything else. So... don't get a chalk goby. Sorry don't have any more advice because I'm a noob myself, but yeah, stay away from chalk gobies.
Vadafallon
New member
My diamond goby is a working machine. Just make sure u have a top. My first one jumped. 
Toddrtrex
Premium Member
That was my experiences with a couple of them -- happened about 10 years ago or so. Even though they were eating prepared foods, they kept getting skinnier and skinnier (( over the course of a year )), until they finally died. I've been able to keep several difficult to keep fish, but this just doesn't work for me, and I know that I am not the only one that has experienced this.
For me, I vowed never to get another one -- there are other ways to keep a sandbed clean.
dzhuo
Active member
Well, any fish which aren't well fed will get thiner and thiner. It's really not much different than starving a tang. A sand sifting goby still needs to be feed since you are unlikely to be able to sustain its diet with the sand bed alone.
The stomach of the goby should be full almost all the time like any other well fed fish. If you are willing to feed (this particular goby is not picky about food), it's easier than a chromis (really). 19 months and counting:
EuroDriver
Member
My remaining goby eventually starved to death too (Yellow-headed goby). He just would not eat anything else.
Toddrtrex
Premium Member
Well, any fish which aren't well fed will get thiner and thiner. It's really not much different than starving a tang. A sand sifting goby still needs to be feed since you are unlikely to be able to sustain its diet with the sand bed alone.
The stomach of the goby should be full almost all the time like any other well fed fish. If you are willing to feed (this particular goby is not picky about food), it's easier than a chromis (really). 19 months and counting:
Did you see the part where I said it was eating prepared foods? I feed mine, and all my other fish, often with quality foods.
Just because someone had a different outcome then you did, doesn't mean that person wasn't feeding theirs. :angryfire:
