Dracula Goby (Stonogobiops Dracula)

[steelersfan]

I have always been a big fan of these gobies. After doing a little research, I couldn't find any one that has kept these fish for any length of time. Are these fish difficult to keep in our tanks? I would appreciate any information from people who have kept these fish for a length of time. Thanks you!!!

 

[Deinonych]

Tagging along as I am interested as well...

 

[pktech]

I've had the dracula's cheaper relative, the : Hi Fin Red Banded Goby (Stonogobiops nematodes) - Fun little guy to watch when it decides to come out, but I only get a glimpse for a week or so & then I feel like it becomes a late night snack for my hermits as I don't see him any longer. I never had it with a shrimp, so maybe that's the key?

 

[Baldguy]

Dracula on DD right now.

 

[MikeandNicole]

We have kept them in the past, great little fish.
They will jump, so a cover is essential.
Easy fish to keep, do well paired with a pistol shrimp, I would recommend one for a nano tank.

 

[steelersfan]

Dracula on DD right now.

Thank you!!! Since they were popping up at the wholesalers locally, I imagined that DD would have some coming up.

 

[steelersfan]

We have kept them in the past, great little fish.
They will jump, so a cover is essential.
Easy fish to keep, do well paired with a pistol shrimp, I would recommend one for a nano tank.

Thank you for the information. May I ask what happened to your last Dracula Goby? I just haven't run across any one that has kept these fish for a minimum of a few years.

 

[MikeandNicole]

Thank you for the information. May I ask what happened to your last Dracula Goby? I just haven't run across any one that has kept these fish for a minimum of a few years.

We have had several of these. We bought our first one in 2009. We have had a couple of jumpers (one from a 45g with a cover, one from a 20g high with a cover) one that disappeared (no mean trick in a 12g nano), and two that we think died of old age. Cloudy eyes, faded colors, but no sign of illness. One appeared to have had a stroke and lost the movement in 1/2 of its body, but lived for another 5 months after (12g nano = no preditors). The longest we have kept one is 2 years (the two guys who died of old age). All have been paired with pistols and lived in tanks without aggressive tank mates.

 

[Fish Biscuit]

I asked Steve about these a while ago & was told that they don't last very long. Last time I remember seeing one around here it was $130ish or more & for me that's too much to spend on something with a short lifespan.