sand sifting gobies

[CraigSlice]

I am curious about sand sifting gobies, currently my sand is fairly dirty and eventually id like to have white sand (75 gallon tank). Ive read that the sand sifting gobies are a great way to clean the sand, but can starve if there isnt enough food on the sand for them to eat. Is it possible to put some food on the sand for them to eat? or will they not accept prepared food of anykind?

Also which sand sifting goby would you suggest for a 75 gallon tank. I was looking at maybe a yellow watchman goby (do they sift through the sand?) And will they be okay with a lawnmower blenny?

This wont be going in my tank anytime soon, just researching for future additions to the tank!

 

[h20 freak1]

The carnivorous ones would be more dependent on the critters in your sand, the herbivorous ones would probably accept seaweed/nori easily. Yellow watchmens are carnivorous but they are known to do well in captivity, even breed.One of any the sandsifters should work, I had a banded sleeper goby clean my sandbed in a day.

 

[rob62779]

I had a sleeper stipped goby that did a great job of cleaning my sand. One day it started freaking out.. almost jumped out of the tank. Then I thought it died, but like 2 mins later it came back. really weird. I then picked up a pink spotted goby. I saw him for about 2 days now it is nowhere to be found. I think he built a nest under a rock. I am not sure if it is dead or hiding.

 

[scrapz]

you could go with a bunch of nassarius if you don't want gobies, my 55 is pretty clean with just 8 nassarius, although I will be adding another 5-10

 

[CraigSlice]

i do like the looks of them, plus on my current fish list there is no bottom dweller like the goby would be.

Current list looks something like this

2 O. Clowns
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Flame angel
1 Yellow or tomini tang
1 other fish that i havent decided on (thinking maybe a Longnose hawk fish, depends if it would eat the cleaner shrimp)

and maybe a sand sifting goby

 

[h20 freak1]

I wouldn't trust the hawk with my cleaners, Ive never owned one in a shrimp friendly tank because I prefer the shrimp way more then any hawk.

 

[svynx]

Really? I had a flame hawkfish with both a coral banded and a skunk cleaner for a while. I coral banded went the way of the dodo, and the hawkfish disapeared...nowhere to be found. The skunk is still kicking. And all of them got along with my yellowheaded (or blue-cheek, or even sleeper gold head) gobie.

 

[Dooly]

I had a diamond goby for over 3 years.. on the 3rd year, out of nowhere, he started to come all the way to the top and place his mouth over the feeding tube, so I just inject mysis, krill, formulaone, anything I have into his mouth and he loved it

 

[h20 freak1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13054409#post13054409 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by svynx
Really? I had a flame hawkfish with both a coral banded and a skunk cleaner for a while. I coral banded went the way of the dodo, and the hawkfish disapeared...nowhere to be found. The skunk is still kicking. And all of them got along with my yellowheaded (or blue-cheek, or even sleeper gold head) gobie.

I didn't mean it was a guaranteed thing, but every fish is different and I like my cleaners to much to risk it by getting a fish I don't find particularly interesting. Also, the coral banded shrimp are known to be bullies with smaller shrimp.Everything you mentioned would be fine with gobies.

 

[xtm]

I have a Diamond Goby (I have named him Goby Bryant because of his propensity to jump) He keeps my sand clean.. he also eats Spectrum Pellets, Flakes, Mysis, pretty much everything.

Please keep in mind that they burrow in the sand (usually under a rock) so if you have a rock work that is sitting on the sand, I suggest you re-position them so they are sitting on top of the glass/acrylic. Their constant digging WILL make any rockwork unstable.

Have fun.. I love mine.

 

[LionfishFinatic]

^^^ ditto what xtm said

my diamond goby is in a 29 gallon and he eats just about everything especially frozen baby brine. mine doesn't dig too much but i have eggcrate under my sand. if your worried about not having enough food in the tank for him, make sure he is eating frozen food at the LFS before you get him and WATCH him eat.