Is an engenneer goby reef safe?

[five.five-six]

I've had them before and have one for months now. One thing I learned decades ago was to setup my rockscape before I add sand.... anyway I recently read a review on yelp of a LFS and the poster berates the LFS for selling them a pair of engeneer gobies which killed all their coral by knocking things over and digging holes.

So I ask: Are engeneer gobies reef safe?

 

[zooman72]

Sure, in a big enough reef with the proper precautions for coral placement and attachment. I visited a local reefer that had a large one in a 120g mixed reef a few years ago, and he had no issues for as long as he had it.

 

[saf1]

They are reef safe with the exception of what they do by nature. So long story short if you plan your reef with them in mind you will be fine. Burrow, dig, high probability of knocking things over if not secured.

Edit: Someone has a large tank with a couple of them. I think it was Slief - Search for his thread in the large tank section. I seem to recall one of his posts and/or videos seeing a couple of them in his tank. It is large, very healthy, lots of various fish sizes, and a lot of rock. Acrylic though but I do recall seeing a couple in his tank via videos. Maybe read and post in his thread - friendly and knowledgeable.

 

[Rover88]

I have a 75 gallon reef.

My engineer goby landed in the tank, went inside the first cave he found, and has never left it save to grab food or push sand out. I don't put corals directly in front of his two 'doors', and he doesn't knock them over.

I've never seen him be an issue to anyone. Kinda a quiet fish. But SO pretty when he decides to come out for food or occasionally noses out of the hole.

 

[five.five-six]

Yes, he is a rather reclusive fish and it’s such an exciting treat when he display’s himself. Someone will yell: “Gobie’s out” and the whole family will run to see him.

My 7-year-old tells his friends that the fish is 4’ long. In actuality he’s probably 7”.

 

[Rover88]

Yes, he is a rather reclusive fish and it's such an exciting treat when he display's himself. Someone will yell: "œGobie's out" and the whole family will run to see him.

My 7-year-old tells his friends that the fish is 4' long. In actuality he's probably 7".

When I got mine, he was probably 3" long, and had a single long horizontal stripe. We have watched him grow to easily double that, and then slowly start to lose that single horizontal stripe, and its breaking up into the vertical ones.

 

[five.five-six]

I have decided no. they get huge and will eat most small fish eventually

 

[lionfish300]

My went from 2 inches to now about 8-9 inches. Stay in his cave pretty much only pork his head out when I feed the tank. I have to feed him with a long thong like you would with an eel just because he does not go far from the cave opening