sleeper goby at Memfish

[scarpenter]

went to Memfish yesterday. The only thing they had that I liked was a Sleeper Goby in their display tank. I sat and watched as he would scoop up a mouthful of sand and sift it out his gills. It was great...Now I want one. The only thing is I do not want to get one for him to then die by the fins of my engineer goby or scooter blenny or starfish. Any opinions....come on give me some. That is what RC is all about.

 

[Grendel0501]

What do you mean by "die by the fins"?

 

[scarpenter]

instead of like people they say that someone was killed by the hands of Jeffery Daughmer....Instead killed by the fines of Mr. engineer goby.

 

[Grendel0501]

The goby getting scratched by fins is really a issue?


<---- noob

 

[scarpenter]

okay....I am worried that the engineer or the scooter blenny or the starfish will kill the sleeper goby since they are all living on the sand and the fact that from all I have read the engineer, since it is a goby also will have issues on letting the sleeper become a tank mate.

In other words, has anyone had experience housing a sleeper goby along with a engineer? Did they get along?

 

[Grendel0501]

Sorry I was taking you literally when you said fins.

 

[Rendos]

Sleeper gobies sift sand, but not for the reason most people think. They are sifting for microfauna that live in the sand. By way of them doing this, they "clean" your sand. In a small tank, they will eat all the microfauna very quickly, and if they do not start to take prepared foods in the meanwhile, they will starve.
If you are considering one of these fish, please do so only if your tank has been established for a long while. This raises the possibility of it having lots of microfauna.
Also be sure that the sand is a fine grain sand...not large shells, crushed coral or the like as this will definitely damage the fishes mouth and gills, and possibly cause infection and even death.

 

[scarpenter]

thanks Rendos...I just moved to Tupelo, but I have the same sand and rock from the start. It has been up for close to 3 years now. Do you have experience with the Sleeper and an Engineer? Did they fight for territory?

 

[Mako Shark II]

I've also learned they are prone to starvation, so I supplement my tank with sinking pellets like Omega One & others.

It's obviously working, because his belly is full and he does not appear emaciated or malnourished: