Sand sifting goby

Bernie21

Active member
I am looking to buy a sand sifting goby or sleeper goby for my tank, I want to know if a 92 gal w a 2" sandbed is good for him to have plenty of nutrients, I am probably going to add 1 more ich of sand. Also how old should the sand be before I consider getting him? There is no other sand sifter in my tank, so its all for him. Plase help, TY!
 
Sand sifting gobies sift sand to find copepods, but 90% of them will eat frozen and flake foods.

The sand doesn't have to be any certain age, considering their main food source will not be copepods in captivity.

This is the goby I have. He keeps my sand sparkling white and eats with all my other fish.
 
I second the Diamond Watchman Goby. Of course, I'd make sure it was eating before taking it home as I would do with all other fish.
 
I have a yellow head for about 6 months now. He is fatter than when I got him. I have about 1 or 2 inch of sand. He eats pellets, flakes, mysis and whatever else I feed, but still sifts the sand all day. He gets a little sand on the rock, FOWLR no coral, but not objectionable. He gets upset when he puts a hermit crab on his pile around his hole and the crab walks away, but other than that, has no care about anything going on in the tank. Kids love to watch him.
 
Thanks for the info guys, I am looking to add one soom, I am leaning towards the yellowhead sleeper goby, it has always been on of my favs. Bump for more opinions and suggestions pease.
 
I haven't had any luck with the yellowhead sleeper goby. I had 2 that never ended up eating anything in my tank and rarely would sift the sand. I did see them eat some at the LFS. So, just a word of caution. I have heard that they are touchy little guys.
 
Not all gobies will sift sand, be sure that he does what you want before purchase. Some gobies will sit in the same spot day in and day out only eating what you feed.

No experience with yellow head.
 
Be careful of the diamond gobies. Mine committed suicide. They are jumpers.

I have a neon headed sleeper goby, had a pair but one starved to death. Would not eat, and barely would sift sand. the other sifts all right, and will eat other stuff, but still skinny.

Best luck that I have had has been a dragon goby. They tend to make a mess, but really clean the sand well. Just added one to my fish only tank a few days ago and he has already turned most the sand in the tank.
 
Thanks for the info guys, I really am looking forward to the Sleeper head goby, I'll probably get one this weekend, Ill post some pics.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14147183#post14147183 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gradth
Be careful of the diamond gobies. Mine committed suicide. They are jumpers.

I have a neon headed sleeper goby, had a pair but one starved to death. Would not eat, and barely would sift sand. the other sifts all right, and will eat other stuff, but still skinny.

Best luck that I have had has been a dragon goby. They tend to make a mess, but really clean the sand well. Just added one to my fish only tank a few days ago and he has already turned most the sand in the tank.

This is true, sand-sifting gobies can jump. I have lost a dragon goby due to an open canopy. However, my current dragon goby is a champ at sifting my sand and it's ANYTHING I throw in my tank. IME they're the best beginner sand-sifter.

@OP, consider a dragon goby or something similar, but make sure it's doing fine at the store so you know it'll be eating when you get home, also make sure your canopy isn't open so it won't jump out.
 
Yeah my canopy is completely covered, I am not concerned with that, I just want to ensure it'll eat, I guess the important thing is to make sure it is eating at the store. I just love the wway a yellow head looks, so Im going w that, if it is eating...
 
i have one in my 210 and a little one in my 36g bow front. they are awesome at sifting the sand and they both eat everything i put in the tank.
 
Thanks guys, Im looking forward to the weekend now to clean my tank, do some mods, water change and add the new gobies I will be getting...Gold Headed sleeper goby (sand sifter), neon goby (parasite remover), and a purple and red firefish (nice to look at, Im hoping the 2 will be fine in a 92).
 
i had a pair of golden head's and 1 ended up dying on me aswell. it starved to death. the other is still doing very well in my tank and eats prepared food all day long as well as sifts my sand keeping it nice and clean.

my only regret from buying them is they put sand all over every single piece of coral and live rock in my tank.
 
Im not too concerned w the sifting, I dont mind sand blasting w the turkey baster from time to time... I cant wait til tomorrow to go get my new additions. Thanks for the info people.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14141509#post14141509 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by missippboy
Sand sifting gobies sift sand to find copepods, but 90% of them will eat frozen and flake foods.

The sand doesn't have to be any certain age, considering their main food source will not be copepods in captivity.

This is the goby I have. He keeps my sand sparkling white and eats with all my other fish.

Same here. That fish is great. He keeps my sand looking great. It's also fun to watch him build his mounds right before the lights turn off.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14153153#post14153153 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bernie21
Yeah my canopy is completely covered, I am not concerned with that, I just want to ensure it'll eat, I guess the important thing is to make sure it is eating at the store. I just love the wway a yellow head looks, so Im going w that, if it is eating...

Only issue I have is my other fish can easily out compete him for food. He rarely comes up more than an inch or two off the ground to get the food.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14168772#post14168772 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bernie21
I dont mind sand blasting w the turkey baster from time to time.

:lol: its more like every single day all day long. if you have any corals or clams on the bottom of your tank you might aswell keep the turkey baster in the tank...
 

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