Dragon goby info please

[Rhodes19]

Hi All,

I'm looking for information and advice on getting a Dragon goby (thats what the lfs told me). While surfing the web I found some pictures that looked like the fish in the lfs, it looks like a Amblygobius phalaena. From what I have read, they are good at sifting sand and keeping it clean but they also eat small crustaceans (pods I ques). They may or may not eat commercially available food, they live longer if they are in pairs, and they will die of starvation once the bottom is clean. What has been your experience with this fish and would it be good fish to have if I intend to get some Mandarin gobies in the future? I was initially looking for a Diamond sifter goby (I've had one before he went carpet surfing ) but the lfs didn't have them. Oh, and if I get a Dragon goby or a Diamond sifter, do they need sand while they are in the quarantine tank? Oh, they will be going into my 180 if I get them. Thanks in advance for your input.

Chris

 

[Amazon4]

We had a dragon goby for a couple of years. He was a very cool fish. Constantly sifts the sand keeping it very clean and white. He did eat prepared food too, and would grab mysis from the turkey baster. I don't know if this the rule or the exception for them.

One draw back was that when they sift, they do so about 6 - 10" above the bottom. So depending on how your corals are arranged, things get covered/buried daily. Your sand will be in one place one day, then moved to another place the next. (it's more fun when they do this infront of a power head ) You also have to be sure your rock work is secure an set to the bottom of the tank.

Don't get me wrong - we loved our dragon goby and were sad to lose him. Blowing off corals was a pita, but we managed.

We did not have a mandarin at the time, but we do now. I do not know if the sand sifting would have reduced the pod population among the rock work for the mandarin (in a 180 w/150g sump). I'm guessing it would have worked ok.

I just wanted you to know that they are a cool fish, but they can be disruptive. I would think having a pair would be really awesome.

OTOH, IIRC, I have read and been told that diamond gobies rely totally on the sand bed and will strip it and starve. But you should research this further. There may be more than one kind.

For QT of a dragon goby, I would make sure it's eating mysis at the LFS. If you don't plan to treat with copper, you can give him sand. But I would think he'd be OK without it, just maybe a little grumpy. He'll need some place to hide and sleep.

 

[Rhodes19]

Hi Amazon4,

Thanks for the information, I really appreciate it. I have some softies on the bottom but I can move them so they won't get buried. I'm glad to hear that they can eat prepared food and mysis, I also like the idea of feeding them at the lfs. I didn't think of that. The rock shouldn't be a problem, I securely placed the rocks on the glass then added the substrate. If they don't need sand in the qt then I'll leave it out, that will make it easier if I have to treat with copper. I have been using pvc pipe and joints in my qt for hiding places. That seems to work out nicely. Its almost tempting to toss some pvc into the DT!! LOL. Thanks again.

 

[Dante_JoseCuerv]

I had one for a year or so (lost it to jumping) and it was a great fish. Mine had a great personality but it was afraid of people unless you were feeding it. Never bothered anything and it never stopped moving sand which was a great thing to have.

 

[Rhodes19]

Hi Dante_JoseCuerv,

Cool beans. Thanks for the feed back. It sounds like they might make a good addition to my 180. It also sounds like they do a great job keeping the sand clean, I like that. Thanks.