Sand Sifting Gobys for a 12 gallon

High fin red banded gobies. My pistol shrimp dwarfs the thing, really skinny and slender, never comes out of it's hole more than a few inches.
 
Yellow watchman goby sifts more sand. Stays fairly small. I love the high-fins, but mine don't dig: they stay under the rockwork and swim midwater. They are juvvies, however.
 
Ok I know for a fact that most gobys need a sand bed. You could always do a fire fish, or you could try a clown goby.
 
Make sure which ever sand sifter you get, eats food. I had a rainford goby in a 55 gallon with 4 inches of sand. After a couple months he was starving. Gave him to a local who had a 300 gallon.

So which ever you get, make sure they eat foods, and do not get over a few inches because lots of sand sifters get 4-6 inches.
 
Twin spots are very neat. We had a couple in at work awhile back. They were cool to see hanging above the sandbed all day.

Good choice.
 
Make sure that they are eating well before you buy them. If they don't, they will demolish the fauna in your sandbed and die a slow, starving death.

Often they are sold in stores and have heavy internal parasites that lead to starvation later. So that is a risk as well. Some stores sell them as pairs as well. But I don't think this is the best fish for a 12 gallon nano.

Yellow watchmen are pretty much bulletproof though. You could also consider a yasha with a pistol shrimp pairing if you don't mind the clicking at night.
 
I have a randels pistol shrimp. Do watchman gobys sift sand through their gills? I have kept a gold headed sleeper goby and a orange diamond goby with much sucsess.
 
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Your not picking out a new car car here :) That said, most gobies sift sand so make sure your using fine sand and that there are plenty of area for the little guy to work. Additionaly, be prepared for your tank bottom to be rearranged to the goby's liking. Don't get one if this bothers you. Gobies rule!
 

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