greenbanded goby can i get a group of 5???

[hlama]

hi everyone. i need to get at least one but want to get a group of 5 greenbanded gobies (Elacatinus multifactiatus) formerly known as (Gobiosoma multifaciatum). any know if they do well in groups?? can not find that much info on them so any advice/info will be greatly appreciated. my tank is 72X18X20. i think they will do fine in a group of 5 in this tank but just dont know for sure.

 

[Rothie]

I started with either 8 or 10 of these guys.I have 2 pairs left.I can't say what happened to the rest of them over the last year,but when I moved them to my 300 I only found 2 pair.They don't tend to stay in groups.They pair off and create their own little niches.
They have neat personalities,and eat anything I put ij the tank.They dig homes in the sand under the rocks.I don't know if a sandbed is necessary.Both of the tanks I had them in had DSB's.

 

[hlama]

cool thanks. not getting them for a schooling fish. just like the look of them, real cool looking fish. figure 5 will give some action on the bottom of the tank and with 5 i am hoping to always see at least 1 or 2 of them out and about. hey, fo you know how long lived they are? i can not find anything on their life span. also i have been told i should not put in a banded sleeper goby (Amblygobius phalaena), which i want to turn my sandbed, in with them. what is your opinion on it or do the greenbanded guys do a good job of sifting through the sand?

 

[Amphiprion]

These gobies are protogynous hermaphrodites. They will basically go from female to male, so if immature individuals are acquired, they will pair up regardless. So I don't think 5 is a good number, as it will invariably leave one that could potentially be picked on. They do not sift sand either, but do enjoy the little organisms that a sand bed provides. I don't generally recommend them unless you have a smaller tank. It is easier to keep track of them in a smaller tank.

 

[Rothie]

I have no experience with the Amblygobius phalaena.As far as the size of the tank,I see more of mine in the 300G than I did in the 30G.That may be due to the pairs being more comfortable with more space between them.