Flabelligobius sp & Mandarin

[rumor]

I'm happy to report that my specimen is still very much alive. It has grown quite a bit. Seem to be fast growers.

Since I haven't the time to separate the Yashia + Randalli pairs from the Flabelligobius, as much as I can tell, the shrimp is still paired with the Flabelligobius. However, it does not seem to appear as much as I would like. If I had separated them, it would have been more definitive.

As a side observation, I have noticed on several ocassions that when the shrimp does appear, it performs some form of cleaning functions. I have noted similar behaviour exhibited by my Yashia and Randalli pair where the Yashia will expose its gills for the Randalli to reach into.

 

[marinebetta]

Peter,

Don't think they are natural jumpers, unlike dart fish. I think it was spooked by something. Usually it just moves slowly away when you try to move/catch it - kind of like a mandarin.

Well...just have to look around some more. This time I'll try them in a group to see if I can get a pair!

Hi LI,

they jump ???? Would have never expected that, guess something spooked him. Sorry to here that

I prepared one of my tanks yesterday, "asked" the randalli to move into this tank where I have choosen his new home - easy to see, not to fare away from the front window, not to much light as a big Gorgonia and a big soft coral are shading the area a bit. So I should be able to get nice pictures.

Tank mates are, 6 Apogon magriphora, 2 Tryssogobius colini
, 6 Trimma striata (only added Saturday) and 5 Coryphopterus personatus

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

I got confirmation yesterday that my couple will be ready for pickup on Staurday - it helps if a friedn works at the wohlesaler

Tank is ready, A.randalli has been moved, looking forward to have them!

 

[marinebetta]

You lucky bugger!

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

Hi MB,

got them - god what are they small. Even my Apogon magriphora group showed shortly to much interest and scared already. I could only bring them in the tank 2 hourse before the light went out so they could not really settle. Result was that one stayed where he supposed to and the other was hidding somewhere I could not find him. This morning while all was dark I sah them both out in the open on the sand. Although during the day the one I could spot stayed with its Alpheus - no idea what makes them move in during dusk??

But what did you see yours eating? So fare they did not show interesst in any food I placed inside Hope they dont feed during night time only???

 

[marinebetta]

Mine ate whatever I fed the tank Generally a frozen food mix plus a bit of frozen cyclopeeze. Most of the time, it would be the frozen mix, tho. Once it got used to feeding time, it would come out and grab pieces that floated by - actually more brave than my yashas - and will actually pick pieces that have settled on the sand/rocks. To me, an easy fish to feed - typical goby -....and also mine was not bothered by other fish (altho the active fish in the tank were percula clowns only...)

I think yours will just need a bit of time to settle in.....During the day it stays mainly hidden (except during feeding) but will be out after lights out.

 

[rumor]

If I may add, mine is usually out of its burrow and feeds on everything, usually Formula One and Two pellets.

Just like MB's, mine will also readily pick up any pieces which might have settled on the sandbed.

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

Hi!

interessting that yours are looking for food, mine are still ignoring everythink (Formular One, Bosmiden, brine, life brine nauplien, life adult brine of my garden culture ...) I am getting a bit concerned.

Additionally they only come out about two hrs bevor the lights go off and they dont find back togeter again as they are both on one side of the 120cm long tank.

The "right" one is not shy at all, comes out lets me take pictures (will need to work on them before posting ), I can see it haveing contact with the Alpheus randalli, all works as designed if it would show interest in food.

The "left" one is much more shy. Flees as soon as I move, has no Alpheus (the two shrimps are on the right side) and also shows no interesst on any food. I have the impression that this one is more coloured then the "right" one - specially the blue spots in the fins. But he has more light then the other one and that could be the reason.

Are yours active during the entire day?
Do they look for floating food, or only for stuff laying on the sand?
Does one have a idea for what these two long "beaks" on top of the mouth might be used for?

 

[rumor]

Hi Peter,

Hope yours settled down already. I can't say mine is active throughout the day. I see it out of its burrow most of the time. There are not other fishes in my nano besides it and the Yashia. It will dart into its burrow in a flash if it senses any sudden motion on my part.

When its sticking out of its burrow, it does keep a lookout for floating food. The most amazing thing I notice is that it can somehow remember, or gauge, where some of the pellets have fallen, and navigate its way there to pick it up.

Maybe your 'lefty' is still a little stressed? I do remember mine to lighten after its initial stage.

As for the two 'forks', I better leave that for Marinebetta to answer.

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

Since to days I dont see the "right" one - no clue where it is hiding. The left one is still very shy. Still no observation of eating made.

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

Finally I got them togehter as I wanted - had several setbacks as I tried to force "Right" to move together with "Left", but yesterday evening suddenly "Right" showed up at the left side. I spend some time infront of the tank and want to show you the results:

This is "right" infront of his home until last night:

Sometimes the gobie goes up 2-4 cm on the rocks, but never leaves the sand

"Left" is much more shy and does not like to pose for the camera:

I added a few day ago 4 more Alpheus randalli and should now have 2 of the red / white coloration and 4 of the red / yellow coloration. Since that "left" has his pistol shrimp too and gained much more confidence. Both of them are also more out during the daytime now and feed on frozen mysis.

Here they are together now on the left side of the tank.

In interaction the switch the middle part of the body white to impress other fish and even their own kind. Also note the open mouth of "right"

As my file fish is bothering the Alpheus they are shy - and he is not willing to be catched, but I keep on trying. Here the shrimp is securing the area

And a second later cover by a sand storm caused by the little alpheus which you can see in the background

I hope you enjoy the pictures!

 

[ozadars]

Great pictures Peter! Congradulations.

I also want to add something. These gobies do look like shrimp gobies (physically) but in small tanks I have heard "non"-shrimp gobies using pistol shrimp's dens as their homes such as firefish. There should also be a picture of a firefish in a pistol shrimp's cave in this forum. So, in your tank with lots of pistol shrimps, these little gobies can be using pistol shrimps' caves "unnaturally". Maybe they dont have symbiotic relationship with shrimps in nature. Just an idea.

Good Luck!

 

[Rothie]

Peter-
The pictures are wonderful!Thanks so much.

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

Ozadar,

UW pictures show that they do life with Alpheus randalli. Only after I added 4 more Alpheus my "lefty" came out in the open.

 

[marinebetta]

Peter,

How are your flabelligobius doing? Any interesting observations?

I just managed to get a "pair" of flabelligobius again. So far (2 days) they are always together and have not moved from where they were on introduction. Unfortunately I cannot see any physical difference, and behaviourally, being together may not be too un-natural for them either as the shop had kept 3 of them in a small holding container (about 4 inch long 1.5 inch diameter betta keeper....) and they did not fight at all - over a period of at least a month! So far they are not eating yet! need to pick up some live brine shrimp once the Chinese New Yr hols are over!!

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

HI,

mine are doing very well, but recently I stressed them with adding S.yasha nd S.nematodes to that tank. Also space is suficient and I have 10 Alpheus randalli in the tank they fight about the best holes. Did you get A. randalli for yours? Best is to use small mysid shrimps to attract feeding response. Mine are not so keen on brine.

 

[marinebetta]

No, haven't got any spare A randalli to spare - they are not so available here at a good price. Anyway they are in a bare bottom tank for now and they only have a few gressengeri for company. One is almost always perched on top of a small rock, the second mostly hides under a nearby rock ledge but will occassionally come out and join the other one. These guys have been fed live brine over the last month so they should recognize them easily - just want to wean them off to frozen or pelleted diet.

Are yours still paired up? Any possible signs of breeding??

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

In a bare bottom tank??? Thats far away from the perfect keeping way. Mine are always together and mostly stay partly in the sand borrow made by the randalli. To me sand and alpheus randalli is a must for these fish.

 

[marinebetta]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6629847#post6629847 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Schmiedel
In a bare bottom tank??? Thats far away from the perfect keeping way. Mine are always together and mostly stay partly in the sand borrow made by the randalli. To me sand and alpheus randalli is a must for these fish.

Of course....they are just in a holding tank for now. At least until the nano is renovated and I can get that flame cardinal and clowns out; and have to shop around for a spare randalli or two - am still short of a possible female for the yashas.....

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

Ahh, sound smuch better. I was concerned and though you better ship them to me I could get you rtandalli for a good price, but distance is for sure our problem

Got some pic's of them?

BTW seems like I made a mistake in mixing yasha, nematodes and Flabellibogius ... now after 3 weeks they start fighting about the randalli ???