Help with Goby ID

[Darth_Tater]

The LFS supplier shipped this little guy to them labeled "Bumblebee Goby," which it's obviously not. It has already been dubbed (not by me) Waldo. I think it looks like a candy cane personally... Anyways, I think I know what it is, but I'm new to saltwater and would like some more opinions. One day I'll get a camera with a zoom!

Also wondering the best way to make sure it gets food (generally speaking for most gobies). Do I need to spot feed it all the time, or just wait for it to figure out where the food usually lands on the sand at feeding time? Or will it learn to come out when I turn the pumps off and grab it out of the water column with the other fish? Thanks!

 

[Rybren]

Looks like it might be a Amblyeleotris wheeleri - Wheelers Shrimp Goby. There are a number of other banded gobies that have similar markings, and I'm no expert, so my opinion is worth what you paid for it.

 

[Betta132]

Probably a Wheeler's shrimpgoby, yep. I have one. If you can, get him a pistol shrimp, the interactions are fascinating.
It'll learn where the food is and will dart out of hiding to grab it.

 

[Guygettnby]

I also think it's a wheeler's, but like mentioned above it may be another. It may hide for awhile and act really skidish. Mine didn't eat for a few days when I first added him. Even now it take him a minute to figure out that there is food in th tank. Once he finds out it is in the tank, it's game over. Eats anything I feed the tank

 

[Darth_Tater]

I too thought it was a Wheeler's at first, but it doesn't have the colorful tail I see in all the Wheeler pictures. I now think it is this: Red Banded Prawn Goby (Amblyeleotris Fasciata). I could easily be wrong since there isn't a lot of info I could find about the Fasciata. Either way I'm pretty sure it's a shrimp goby.

And I'd really like to get a shrimp for it but it's really tiny right now. I also only have about a 1" deep sand bed and I think the shrimp might need more.

 

[Darth_Tater]

It'll learn where the food is and will dart out of hiding to grab it.

Good! The LFS said they'd had it for 3 weeks so hopefully I won't have to worry about it starving. I've only had it a couple days and I already like it a lot. Lots of personality for such a tiny fish!

 

[Betta132]

Does your guy have stripes on the backs of his eyeballs? Mine does, but I'm not seeing that in the photos...
Also, what is that nudibranch critter near the goby?

 

[Darth_Tater]

Wow, I just looked up Wheeler's Goby and it's not the one I was thinking of! It's hiding right now so I'll have to see if the fins have that unique shape or not when it comes out.

And that's a Lettuce Leaf "Nudibranch" that I'm hoping I won't have to figure out how to get algae for.

 

[Darth_Tater]

Looks like it might be a Amblyeleotris wheeleri - Wheelers Shrimp Goby. There are a number of other banded gobies that have similar markings, and I'm no expert, so my opinion is worth what you paid for it.

Probably a Wheeler's shrimpgoby, yep. I have one. If you can, get him a pistol shrimp, the interactions are fascinating.
It'll learn where the food is and will dart out of hiding to grab it.

I also think it's a wheeler's, but like mentioned above it may be another. It may hide for awhile and act really skidish. Mine didn't eat for a few days when I first added him. Even now it take him a minute to figure out that there is food in th tank. Once he finds out it is in the tank, it's game over. Eats anything I feed the tank

Thanks all, I just looked at it again and I'm now convinced you are correct. Sorry I initially dismissed your IDs, but for some reason I was thinking of Amblyeleotris Aurora.

 

[Darth_Tater]

Double post...