Rainfords goby

[Skinner]

I've had a rainfords goby for about a month now. He was always out and looking healthy. Although I haven't seen him eat any frozen food, he is always picking at the substrate and live rock. He looks healthy, not emaciated or skinny. The past two days he has been hiding in the live rock and not coming out at all. I gave him a day alone and then this morning I tore the live rock apart in order to figure out if he was alive or dead. Sure enough he was hiding in the live rock. He came out briefly, and still looked fat, not skinny. I was wondering if this was part of their behavior or not. The only other inhabitants in the tank are a chromis, snails, and a few hermit crabs.

 

[M88A2]

unfortunately this was a fish i bought with just the LFS's input. did not research it fully until a few days later. from what i read, it does not often eat prepared foods. is some ways it was said to be similar in care to a madarin, although i did not find and difinitive answer as to what it eats. most of it was speculation...needless to say i will never purchase a fish with out fully researching...i did read that some people kept theirs for a few years so i assume it is possible to keep one. however i believe most of the tanks were 55g+. good luck

 

[Woodstock]

I've had my rainford for a couple of years , I have never seen him take frozen food , He seams happy just wondering the tank sifting sand and picking at algae ,until the sixline chases, him but only if he runs, he will turn and stand his ground. I have had a few fish disappear in my 75 ,That I'd written off as gone only to have them show up again.

 

[Skinner]

Woodstock,
Was your Rainsfords one of the fish that was gone a few days and then showed back up? I currently have him in a 75 gallon tank. Thanks.

 

[Woodstock]

Yes ,There has been a few times I wouldn't see him for a day at the most.
I have about 60# of rock so there is lots of hiding places. but I'm sure he was just in the back of the tank doing what ever he does, where I can't see.

 

[tom499]

I had one for three years not sure what happened to him after that. I agree with everyone so far that they very rarely eat prepared food. I know mine would eat live bbs and adults. I agree with M88A2 it really was similar to keeping mandarins. Lots of live rock is mandatory.

 

[serval]

This is one of those "need a bigger tank with lots of live rock" fish. I had one in a relatively new 55 gallon and the poor thing wasted away, though it certainly tried to sift sand and pick at the rock. There just was apparently not enough to keep it going. My LFS did not warn me.