Gobies for a 180g Mixed Reef

[BlueWorldJeff]

I just lost my Mandarin Dragonet and am looking for another sand-dweller with some cool mannerisms.

I used to have a diamond watchman goby, but it jumped out of the temp tank when I was moving houses. I've tried other diamond watchman's in my old 120g, but they would always disappear and then never reappear.

I have upgraded to a 180g now and want to give gobies another try ONLY if I am set up correctly for them.

Current livestock:
-Dejardini Sailfin Tang
-Blonde Naso Tang
-Yellow Eye Kole Tang
-Flame Angel
-Checkerboard Wrasse
-Leopard Wrasse
-Black & White Ocellaris Clownfish x 2
-Blue Chromis x 2
-Serpent Star x 2
-Sand Sifting Star x 2
-Cleaner Shrimp x 1
-Trochus Snails

I have a 1.5" deep sand bed of seaflor special grade that I wont be vacuuming anymore.

I would like to get another sand sifter, my wife loved their behavior and how friendly they were

If possible, I'd also like to include a shrimp/goby combo, only if they would get along with sand sifters and my other inhabitants.

Is a 180g large enough for multiple gobies?

What are the best gobies out there?

 

[CoralsAddiction]

For shrimp gobies I like
1) Yasha
2) Dracula
3) Randall's. This one is probably the best for your tank as they get larger than the other two.

 

[BlueWorldJeff]

For shrimp gobies I like
1) Yasha
2) Dracula
3) Randall's. This one is probably the best for your tank as they get larger than the other two.

I'm guessing they all pair with the Randalls Pistol Shrimp?

 

[BlueWorldJeff]

Does the yellow watchman goby sift sand as well as pair with a shrimp? and does it matter if its a Randalls or Tiger Pistol shrimp?

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Yellow Watchman will sift a little patch of sand near their burrow, but they will not sift the entire tank like a diamond goby. They will pair with a shrimp - tiger is a better choice because they are similarly sized. The randall's shrimp is really too small for a YWG.

If general if you want a full-tank sand sifter, you want something from the genus Valenciennea. Most commonly you will find the diamond goby or gold head sleeper goby.

 

[biomek]

i had a diamond watchman goby in my 220 that was OCD about sifting. loved him! after we lost him in a move, i picked up a banded goby and have had him for a few months now and really like him as well. he sifts a ton but doesn't make near the mess that the diamond did. plus he seems to come out and swim around the water column much more than the diamond did. Really cool colors on him. Not near the character as the diamond but a great fish none the less

 

[CoralsAddiction]

If general if you want a full-tank sand sifter, you want something from the genus Valenciennea. Most commonly you will find the diamond goby or gold head sleeper goby.

I agree about getting the entire tank covered as far as sand sifting. However, I have a different approach. I get a whole bunch of Nassarious snails and they really do a great job without causing major sand storms in the tank. My sandbed stays nice and clean. It's 8.5 months old.

 

[BlueWorldJeff]

could I get a diamond goby for sand sifting and entertainment and also get a yellow watchman/tiger pistol combo? would same goby genus cause issues?

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[enveetie]

Ive seen diamonds and YMG get territorial. They're bullies in my book towards others sharing the sandbed. With your size tank, I would think they may keep to their sides of the tank. The YMG will, the diamond wanders all over and may be chased away by the YMG if it gets in range.

I once had a YMG/Tiger and they were pretty awesome. Great interaction. I now went smaller with my goby/pistol pairs... I have a Yasha/Randall's shrimp and Hi-Fin/Randall's shrimp. Stenogobiops definitely do not wander around sifting like a diamond, unless they're hopping burrow to burrow.

 

[BlueWorldJeff]

Ive seen diamonds and YMG get territorial. They're bullies in my book towards others sharing the sandbed. With your size tank, I would think they may keep to their sides of the tank. The YMG will, the diamond wanders all over and may be chased away by the YMG if it gets in range.

I once had a YMG/Tiger and they were pretty awesome. Great interaction. I now went smaller with my goby/pistol pairs... I have a Yasha/Randall's shrimp and Hi-Fin/Randall's shrimp. Stenogobiops definitely do not wander around sifting like a diamond, unless they're hopping burrow to burrow.

Would a larger size goby/shrimp combo be better based on my current livestock? Would the checkerboard wrasse have any interest in the shrimp?

 

[enveetie]

I forgot to recommend a larger pistol shrimp in my previous post. Tiger pistol shrimp are usually 1.5-2 inch range when available for sale online or LFS. My randall's pistols were about .75 to 1 inch when I picked them up. TINY! I like to think I've seen mysis shrimp that were longer straightened out.

If you dropped something small like the randall's in there, I wouldn't be surprised if one of the larger fish went for it. Then again, that's the goby's job to warn the shrimp of any incoming threat. As long as you don't introduce the shrimp from a height and let him float down through the water column (like food), you'll be ok.

I would add the goby and pistol to a pre-made depression, nook or cranny, where sandbed meets rock. Usually where you would prefer them to burrow. They should instantly take to the shelter you provided, and hopefully the pistol goes to work immediately burrowing a safe haven for the two of them. At that point, they're pretty safe. I've never seen any of my gobys neglect to warn a shrimp of incoming threats.

Oh, maybe do this at night after everyone else has been fed, especially if your tangs and wrasses follow you around like dogs thinking you've about to feed them.

 

[BlueWorldJeff]

So I did like you said. I introduced my blue dot goby and pistol shrimp to my tank using my vacuum tube. they were dropped right next to a premade burrow under live rock. the goby went for the burrow right away, but the shrimp waited. while I wa waiting for it to go with the goby, my checkerboard wrasse swooped in a nabbed him. sucks pretty bad. now the goby is alone. should I try for another shrimp and make sure it gets to the burrow? will it be safe at that point moving forward? or should I just stick with the goby by itself, since I have a predator like the checkerboard wrasse? will the goby be fine without shrimp?

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[enveetie]

sorry to hear it was unsuccessful. may i ask if you did this at night? most wrasses i know of are not active enough around the tank at night to be doing after food. if you really wanted to try this again, perhaps divide or cage off the burrow with some egg crate or something to give the shrimp more time to dig in.

all of the pistols ive ever had immediately dig in or hide in borrows/rocks the second they're in the tank.

 

[BlueWorldJeff]

i might try again when i can get another pistol shrimp. I'll try to do it after lights out. if i drop it into the goby' burrow will they join up right away?

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[BlueWorldJeff]

Got another pistol shrimp. This time, I fed the fish at the other end right when i was introducing the shrimp to into the goby burrow. The shrimp hit the sand and went right into a crease where the rock meets the sand, right next to the goby burrow. I looked at the other fish and when I looked back, it was gone. I'm guessing it went in with the goby, although I havent seen it out yet. The goby is staying at the mouth of his burrow. Doesnt come out at all. Just his head pokes out. Should I see the shrimp eventually?