Diamond goby questions

Mattchamp

New member
Hello, So today I got a diamond goby for my 75g reef can anyone tell me their basic needs? And do I Need to supplement feed them? I know they eat from the gravel
 
I have one of the little critters. #1 need is a relatively small grain sand. It cannot stand larger grains. .5 to 1mm size is ideal. Your fish will will rearrange your bottom as it builds one after another den in the sand. They will spit tailings from their construction projects over rocks and nearby corals.
While it will gain some food value from live sand, the average aquarium will not have enough to meet its needs. I feed mine frozen shrimp and fish bits processed with a food processor. It's not picky and will eat mysis or brine shrimp, flakes that make to the lower 1/3 of the aquarium. You need to get the food to the bottom if you have many surface feeders.
They are great citizens of the aquarium and tolerate other fish. They will defend their burrows but other than territorial defense they seem to get along with everyone. I see warnings not to put more than one in an a tank but, years ago, had two that lived in the same hole. May or may not been a male/female pair.
These fish provide a great deal of entertainment. Enjoy them but be sure to feed them.
 
They may eat some algae but the are primarily carnivores. They have a large mouth and will eat most anything. Mine eats pod if he catches them on the sand but he will not go up on the live rock hunting them. For flakes stay with general marine fish flakes. Mine has no interest in Nori [compressed seaweed produced for the Asian market]
 
I am concerned you refer to your substrate as "gravel" in the first post. These fish need to be in sand, not gravel or crushed coral. They will damage their mouth and die.
 
They will only jump when spooked or harassed by another fish. Supplemental feeding are absolutely necessary without them your fish will starve to death
 
mine eats ANY food that makes it to the bottom 3-4" of the tank lol. he even grabbed a sinking formula2 pellet last night. it was too hard for him to eat, so he sat there and "chewed" it until he was able to get it down. then back to sifting sand
 
Mine eats anything that is put in the tank but I always add some sinking pellets. He is the fatest fish in the tank. Don't think they won't jump, lost my first one with a night time carpet surf. I use Special Grade and he moves sand from one side of the tank to the other daily.
 
Make sure your rock work sits on the glass not the sand. Since they love to burrow they will dig under until the rock crushes them. I had a large one and aded a very small one and they have been best of friends. I have my two in a 300
 
also are they shy and do they hide often? Mine is hiding now and has been for a couple days, and do they form bonds with snapping shrimp? Like other gobies and they are called pretty shrimp gobies too I believe
 
He's not going to do well with that. As said, they need fairly fine sand to not injure their gills when they sift. Crushed coral is too large & rough.
 
if you mean they can form a symbiotic relationship with "pistol shrimps"... the short answer is yes for the most part. watchman goby and pistol shrimp pairs are something of a sight to see in person imho.
 
Never mind thanks for all your help but my diamond goby went carpet surfing today and did not survive btw an unrelated question are anthias jumpers too? And are they easy to keep
 
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