Gobies

[Marsha]

I have a 72 gallon tank with no fish at this point. I want to get two gobies a sleeper gobi and a watchman gobi. Can I keep them together in this tank? Also how do you keep them in if you have no hood on your tank? I do not want to put glass on the top because of heat factors. I am running 2 10000 k 65 w lights and 2 65 w ultra actinic lights. Can an eggcrate (light diffuser) be put on there and they will not get out? This would still allow the heat out, oxygenation of the tank.

 

[Avi]

If you have a good deal of live rock in there, they should be able to coexist just fine in a tank the size of yours. Gobys can be jumpers so you have to be careful with them.

The egg-crate is a measure you can take and it will help a little. But, long-shaped fish can sometimes jump and get through the squares to their peril. So, it isn't fool-proof. On the other hand, there isn't much more you can do to keep fish in other than to cover the tank with glass, which you have good reason not to do regarding heat. The only alternative that I can suggest is to have a sump under your tank and put a fan blowing across the water in it. That will induce evaporation and cool the tank-water. If you do that, having a glass canopy over the tank will assure that your fish that are jumpers stay in.

 

[Sk8r]

Watchmen don't tend to jump. Can't vouch for their behavior toward a sleeper. You can see in my sig what mine gets along with well. My worst jumpers are dartfish [firefish]. Eggcrate helps.

One of the things that cause jumps is fighting in the tank: try to keep that to a minimum and your jumpers won't be going airborne. A jump is often an escape maneuver.

My best anti jump device is my light shield: I have a 9" fake rim on my tank [a simple fiberglass shell with braces of painted pine that sit on the rim here and there to keep it level and in place]. My light kit sits on its top rim. Most fish can't clear that high. It has some equipment holes: I block those with gutter guard [plastic, has round holes in it: at hdw store.] Many people do use eggcrate: ask at the hdw store: there is an up and a down to that stuff---it's very slight, but it matters.

 

[hmello@bermexin]

How about eggcrate with a pc. of fiberglass screen stretched over it and secured?

 

[Marsha]

I have a framed in hood, it just has no top. It is about 8 inches tall. You know the hood available at all the petco and such. Took the top off and added my lights to it. Sounds like that is all I need to keep them in .. add the plastic at the back for the suicidal ones. Will make it secure for them. I cannot do the sump thing yet.... future dreams. The tank is not drilled for one.

 

[Lotus99]

I was worried about putting two gobies in my 125g tank, but it was large enough for them.

The really odd thing is that the two have made good friends, and generally hang out together. I have an orangespotted shrimp goby and a tiger goby. The tiger goby even builds caves for his friend.

The first few days in the tank, the tiger goby went into the overflow a few times, but has since settled down. You might want to take precautions in the first few days while he gets used to the tank.

 

[JENnKerry]

I've had my blue cheek for two years now and he hasn't jumped yet. On the other hand, at one point several years ago I had a yellow watchman in a QT tank and he managed to jump through the only opening in the hood, a 1" hole!

 

[Avi]

I have put screening under egg-crate...glued with crazy glue gel...but only a small strip in the back of the tank. To do more, while would assure better that nothing would get by, even through the small aquares as is possible with thin fish like some gobies...isn't advisable because it would significantly block light from getting into the tank. It's possible to do this in a fish only tank...though there obviously would be some shading of the light...but if there is coral in the tank, that would be robbed of sustenance that is needed in the case of just about 95% of the coral out there.