Suggested Goby

niter

New member
Our tank has a starry blenny and I am interested in what gobies, if any, would work out well for our 150 gal tank.
 
Other than a catalina, I can't think of any that would not work. Some of the smaller ones will be hard, if not impossible, to see in a 150. What specifically are you looking for?
 
Thanks! I am not looking for any particular goby immediately as we just stocked anthias in our tank and want to take additions slowly. However, this go around with the larger tank, I wanted to get a bit more involved with my spouse's hobby and have taken on fish selection. I am trying to get a somewhat rough plan of what I would eventually like to see in the tank and I think a small ground dwelling goby could be fun. I am looking for a goby that would get along (or mainly not offend the blenny and lead to the death of the goby) and would come out occasionally. I realize that they are small and hide well, but we put in a watchman goby in our old tank to never see it again--though, I think it may have died. If it would come out every now during feeding, I would be pleased. And of course, no eating of the corals!
 
Besides a yellow watchman you could look at the aurora or wheelers goby. They get a bit larger (3 inches +) so they would probably not disapear in your tank. They also pair with a pistol shrimp and if you have sand that would be a cool combo. We have a yellow now in our 12g and he is fairly active. Our wheelers was in our 30g and he was out and about quite often. I think a pistol shrimp is key though to provide a good hiding spot if the starry blenny does take offense to him.
 
Thanks for the suggestions!

Are pistol shrimp safe towards/from other inverts (hermit crabs, scarlet skunk cleaners, peppermint, fire blood cleaners)?
 
Yes, safe towards the others. We have a tiger pistol and a candy pistol in a 12g right now and they are housed with sexy shrimp and bumblebee shrimp right now with no problems. We have also had them with cleaners and peppermints in the past with no problem at all. The only thing they are a threat to is frags on the sandbed as they will try and incorporate them into their burrow.
 
Yes, safe towards the others. We have a tiger pistol and a candy pistol in a 12g right now and they are housed with sexy shrimp and bumblebee shrimp right now with no problems. We have also had them with cleaners and peppermints in the past with no problem at all. The only thing they are a threat to is frags on the sandbed as they will try and incorporate them into their burrow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKPrGxB1Kzc

That cleaner disagrees.
 
I could be wrong, but I don't think the pistol shrimp in that video (cool video though!) is a commensal species. There are several species that are "independent" that most definitely will go after other inverts and small fish. I would think a tiger or Randall's would be fine. Yellow watchmans will pair with a tiger and the high fin or blackray (Stonogobiops nematodes) will pair with the Randall's. I had a YWG/tiger pistol pair, but lost the shrimp after a while. I'm pretty sure it was because I didn't feed it directly enough. I've read of folks who use 1/4" rigid tubing to drop pellets right into the burrow. I'm planning on getting a replacement as I miss watching the shrimp work while the fish "supervises". ;)

Speaking of burrows . . . don't get these guys unless your rock is sitting on the glass/eggcrate. They will undermine rocks sitting on sand.
 
a pistol will eat the heck out of some snails, wouldn't trust anything with claws on a normal basis. Maybe certain individual, such as my skunk cleaner and coral banded, but as a general rule no claws.

Diamon gobies are a win/win, just paired up two in my 120g. They have cleaned half the tank's sand bed already, don't dust the corals on the bottom, and are so much fun to watch. I wouldn't have a tank without one.
 
I think like most inverts there are many species and they will all behave differently. I have had tiger and candy cane pistols paired with gobies and have never had an issue with them bothering anybody else. I have kept pistols with just about every ornamental species and have never had an issue. I have also had a bullseye pistol that does not pair but almost acts like a mini reef lobster. I would not be surpised at all if one of them went after other shrimp as they can get quite large and I am sure opportunistic in the right situation.
 
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