Feeding Randall's Goby

SandyPup

New member
Hi all,
I have a Randall's Goby that's paired with a Tiger Pistol Shrimp. Wonderful fish! But VERY shy. He's in a very peaceful tank. Nobody ever bothers anybody. But he won't come more than a few inches away from his little cave, even at feeding time. He comes out and looks really hungry, but I can't get any food to him because any time I get anywhere near with the turkey baster or eye dropper or anything to spot him some mysis or chopped squid or whatever he bolts back into his hole and another fish or shrimp eats the food.

I've tried turning off all my pumps and aiming food in his direction without getting close enough to spook him, but unless the food manages to drift within a couple inches of his cave without being eaten he doesn't get any. I'm starting to really worry that he's just not going to make it :worried:

Anybody have any suggestions??
 
How long has the pair been in there? I have the same pair and my Randal's will swim out into the column at feeding time but they have been in there for over 2 years. Might just take him time if he is a new fish. I would just keep trying to get food near the hole for now but I would bet he'll warm up and come out more.
 
At first mine was very shy like yours but eventually he started swimming out pretty far at feeding time. He has gotten to be a little fatty. Unfortunately he has been missing the last two days and I am starting to worry. The Pistol still sticks his head out at feeding, but Mr. Randall is no where to be found. :(
 
How long has the pair been in there?

Thanks J2T! I've only had him for about three weeks. I'm relieved to hear that he will become more confident eventually.

Until then, what do you think of sinking pellets for food? I've only ever fed frozen meaty foods, but I'm thinking maybe if I can get some pellets down to him he might get more to eat in the short run.
 
At first mine was very shy like yours but eventually he started swimming out pretty far at feeding time. He has gotten to be a little fatty. Unfortunately he has been missing the last two days and I am starting to worry. The Pistol still sticks his head out at feeding, but Mr. Randall is no where to be found. :(

Oh, jeez :uhoh2: I hope he turns up soon! Thanks for the info. I'm feeling better. Though I'm worrying about your Mr. Randall now :worried:
 
Mine eats anything and everything that floats by from pellets (NLS, Formula 1 and 2) to even bits of nori.

My Randal has been known to disappear down in the burrow for a few days or longer at a time so I don't think its that unusual. I have the added benefit that I can see their den from under the tank so I can check on him there.

I do have a YWG and candy cane pistol in the same tank but the YWG I have not seen in longer than a month though I have caught glimpses of the pistol. The YWG has gone underground for weeks before and then reappeared. That pair since they are smaller I don't have the luxury of seeing them from underneath because they don't burrow down that far.
 
Thanks again, Jared! Just ordered some NLS sinking pellets. Hopefully he'll get some of those as they make their way down :)
 
Try putting the baster a bit further above his hole, or squirting it from a distance and using a big enough baster to make a tiny current and carry it over there.
If that doesn't work, gently squirt the food into the hole itself, he should pick it up.

You could also try feeding everything else on one side and then adding some goby food near him.
 
Whew! Boy, the things we do for our little water babies :D Thanks for the suggestions, all!

I sat there last night in front of my tank, as I'm sure many of you have done at one time or another, agonizing over this sweet little goby (his name is Sundance btw) and his devoted buddy, the Tiger pistol shrimp (Butch) as he stared back at me with his googlie eyes - kinda looks like a Jim Henson creation lol - and I'm imagining how hungry he must be... Heck, I can even feel his tummy growling, and I'm a mess!! I can't go to bed and leave him like that...just staring out at me, saying pleeeeeze feed me! I'm sooooo hungry! So I say to myself. That's it! I'm gonna give it one more try:facepalm:

So I go to the kitchen, and I chop up some little bits of frozen squid. I soke them in some Selcon for a few more minutes to give him an extra shot of vitamins, and I head back over to the tank. I'm telling myself, "this time he's gonna eat it!" But the devil on my shoulder is saying, "you're gonna muck up your tank if you don't stop putting food in there."

"Shut up!" I say to the devil on my shoulder, and I take my baster... and I sloooooowly lower the tiny morsels of squid toward his cave... and I ever so carefully squish the bits out a few inches from the opening.... and BAM! He pops right out and gobbled them up! With the exception of a decent sized bit which he left for Butch. Butch scrambled right out from under Sundance, snapped up his dinner, and scooted back in his burrow :D

Sweet success! *yawn* "Now I can sleep"

And I did
 
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