Hover Gobies

[CadetMKultra]

I have a Hector's Goby. He's been doing quite well since I got him about a month or two ago. I even think he's grown a bit. He doesn't take interest in any of the food I give his tank mates, animal or vegetable based. He only sifts sand and picks at the small pockets of filementous algae I have on the rocks. All is well.

However, I have plans for a refugium. This will help control the stupid slime algae that sometimes goes a bit wild on the glass of my 24 gallon aquapod. And it should allow me to move the chaeto and caulerpa out of the display. Also, I'm looking forward to getting some more pods going, somewhere safe. The down side is that I'm worried about depleating my Hector's Goby's food source. Have any of you kept Hector's Gobies, or any of the other Hover Gobies? Got any tips?

 

[wesdaniel]

I tried VERY unsuccessfully. As long as he was in QT by himself, he would eat most anything I put in there - frozen mysis, frozen brine, live brine, flakes, etc. When I put him in the DT, though, he couldn't compete for food anymore and there wasn't enough there to keep him alive. It might be easier in a 24G to find some prepared food he will eat and target feed him than it was in a 125.

 

[CadetMKultra]

bump for more tips

 

[Sigmund]

I had a Rainford Goby for 3 years, very similar to a Hectors. All it ever ate was hair algae from the rocks, would sift sand, and would eat live brine shrimp. Regardless of trying for 3 years I could never trick it into eating anything else.

Finally lost it when it jumped through a space in my canopy that I would never have guessed possible to make it through, but apparently it was...

I would try some small live brine. I would suggest no one get either a Hector's or a Rainford that does not have live sand, some hair algae, and is willing to provide live brine as a supplement. I have yet to see one eat preapred foods. That being said there are always the exceptions. I do believe though you can keep one healthy long-term by providing the requirements listed above.

 

[CadetMKultra]

Cool. I have live sand, and some red and green algae that it grazes. I hope the pods from the fuge will make up for its drop in algae supply.

 

[CadetMKultra]

Possibly unwisely, the entire top of my tank is uncovered. Haven't had a jumper, from this tank, yet. I've got a Hector's Goby, a Molly Miller Blenny, a Banggai Cardinal, and a Yellow Clown Goby. I hope none of them get the idea, but none of them seem to get startled, ever. I'm afraid a hood would raise the temp of the tank, too high.

 

[vyvial]

i actually pick up clumps of hair algae from my lfs and stick it in the back of my tank for my rainford and my lawnmower.