ACBlinky
Premium Member
I have a pair of 'panda' saddlebacks (Amphiprion polymnus I believe) that are driving me crazy. Every day when I feed the tank, I use a long pipette to bury some food in the sand for my sand-sifting gobies. It didn't take long for the clowns to sort out that when the gobies dig, goodies fly out of the sand. At first they would just hang around the gobies waiting for tidbits, but then they started guarding the food sites (it was hilarious watching them - they knew the food was under the sand but weren't clever enough to figure out how to get to it).
Unfortunately, now they refuse to leave the gobies alone! As soon as one pops its head out of the cave the clowns come running, I guess they think any time they see a goby it's chow time. The gobies are staying in their cave now, refusing to come out, and the clowns just keep stubbornly waiting.
I've tried to think of a solution other than removing the gobies or the clowns, but I'm stumped. I've resorted to putting food into their cave so the gobies won't starve, but it's not a permanent solution - I want to see these guys out and about, not stressed and hiding in a cave.
Any thoughts? If removing the clowns is best, what's the smallest tank I could get away with? I really have no room at all, but might be able to find a way to keep a 20 or 25g, would that be enough?
Here's a pic of the male so everyone knows which species I'm referring to:
Unfortunately, now they refuse to leave the gobies alone! As soon as one pops its head out of the cave the clowns come running, I guess they think any time they see a goby it's chow time. The gobies are staying in their cave now, refusing to come out, and the clowns just keep stubbornly waiting.
I've tried to think of a solution other than removing the gobies or the clowns, but I'm stumped. I've resorted to putting food into their cave so the gobies won't starve, but it's not a permanent solution - I want to see these guys out and about, not stressed and hiding in a cave.
Any thoughts? If removing the clowns is best, what's the smallest tank I could get away with? I really have no room at all, but might be able to find a way to keep a 20 or 25g, would that be enough?
Here's a pic of the male so everyone knows which species I'm referring to: