Twin Spot Goby

[Snarkys]

interesting how all the sites selling them totally lie and make them seem to be easy fish to keep.

live aquaria
Care Level: Moderate
and even says they will spawn in the right conditions.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=216


MDL
Diet: The Signigobius biocellatus is a carnivore and likes to eat variety of foods, especially Mysis Shrimp, worms, flakes.
Breeding: Able to breed.

http://www.marinedepotlive.com/two-spot-goby---signigobius-biocellatus-fish--gobies.html

saltwaterfish.com
Diet: Live Brine, Pellet
Care Level: Easy

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_1...=4&PHPSESSID=f709e744f16a530bf66217a6f217b1fc

pet solutions
This Goby readily adapts to a diet of frozen or live shrimp such as Mysis Shrimp or Brine Shrimp.

http://www.petsolutions.com/Twinspot+Goby-I-127200L-I-C-16226-C-.aspx

 

[SDguy]

When I say mince, I just mean small pieces (ie...not whole mysis shrimp, which can be 3/4" long, or bigger). Don't mash into a paste though

Yeah, it sucks that they aren't regarded as more difficult to keep. I remember mine always went for the food with gusto, and seemed to try desperately to swallow it. His mouth would work it, work it, work it...but more often than not, ended up spitting it out or passing it through his gills. I just assumed that it had to do with the structure of their mouth...designed to sift TINY organisms out of sand. "pieces" of food were just so hard for him to get down. Like I said, he wasn't skinny when he died, but the only thing I could say for certain I ever saw him swallow was mysis. My guy was also pretty small, like a couple inches. Maybe a larger one will have an easier time.

 

[Snarkys]

I remember mine always went for the food with gusto, and seemed to try desperately to swallow it. His mouth would work it, work it, work it...but more often than not, ended up spitting it out or passing it through his gills

I think this is what i was watching him do today.

I know he is gaining weight but i don't know if it is from the mysis or from the "Erick's famous fish food" and flying fish eggs i have been spraying all over the sand . the fish food is full of really small particles . tons of golden pearls , cyclop eeze, phyto , blended fish and shellfish, Fish roe , Powdered marine flake , selco .... I'm sure that some of this has to be similar enough to what he would eat in the wild.

 

[SDguy]

That definitely sounds promising! I unfortunately didn't research other food very much at the time...didn't take advantage of what was available to me. Sounds like you're doing it all right. Now just make sure your skimmer is crankin'...cause all that food does a number on your tank, that I remember also

 

[Snarkys]

ya i am doing weekly water changes now also ....

 

[SDguy]

The things we'll do for one little fish!! (As I eat my tuna salad :eek2: )

 

[Snarkys]

well its two more weeks and hes gained a lot of weight since i got him. I don't think mysis is a good choice for these fish . Not only do they have trouble swallowing them but something tells me their digestive track is prolly not long enough to digest large items like mysis. the fish eggs and blender mush seem to work much better.

 

[SDguy]

Very cool! Keep the updates coming. And Happy Holidays!

 

[Snarkys]

well i have had him for almost two months now , I think it is time to find him a friend, anyone know how to sex them ?

few things Ive noticed and educated guesses. while i have successfully trained him to eat prepared foods and he actively chases down mysis and even pellet now i don't think these are the very good foods for them, first is because when he gets the mysis he seems to have to chew it for a quite some time before he can swallow it meaning this food is way to big for him. this is pure conjecture on my part but in the wild they feed by eating small bugs in the sand so I'm guessing their digestive track is not as well developed and maybe doesn't have the ability to fully process large items like mysis shrimp. I think a few good options are blender mush/eriks famous fish food, flying fish eggs (Asian grocery stores) and products like cylop eeze. the eggs tend to sink so you don't need to turn off the pumps but if you want to use the cyclop eeze or blender mush i would turn the pumps off for 20 minutes and then use a Turkey baster to coat the sand with some of it.

I personally would not recommend this fish to anyone who doesn't want to spend some extra time every day feeding as it is more hands on and labor intensive than most fish . I would also stay away from it if you already have nutrient/water quality problems as it it requires more than you were prolly feeding before.

I hope i can find another soon : ) If i can keep a pair alive for a year i think i will claim success.

Erick's famous fish food.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=176530

 

[Snarkys]

He now also actively chases down nutrifin slow sinking pellets, even without the presence of other foods. they are about the same size as the flying fish eggs that he likes so much. i think i may have a partner for him on Monday , it will be interesting to see if this same technique works to train him to eat various prepared foods.

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

Mine eat all kinds of pellets. The small size of Formular one is eaten - depending on the size of your goby.

Signigobius biocellatus does not show any sexual dimorphic's so you have to try to pair them and watch them carefully. In most of the cases it worked for me - only ones I couple did not find harmony and I had to split hem up.

 

[Snarkys]

I tried some flake today and he really seemed to like that . by the time it floated down to him it was really soft and he was able to swallow it really easy rather than the chewing motion he makes with most other foods.

 

[Snarkys]

well it's been three + months and he is doing well . i alternate feeding with mysis one day and some flying fish eggs the next. he likes the fish eggs the most. i did try to get him a friend but she died within hours : ( i may try again some day.

moral of the story , to get them to eat , turn off the pumps and coat the sand bed with food until they get used to the prepared foods and choose a small food.

 

[salty joe]

Hey, that's great! Do you have it to the point where you can load the food in the same small spot & the goby knows to go there? If not, I'd bet the fish is smart enough to be trained. Maybe make the feeding area smaller & smaller.

Thanks for the update and keep us posted.

Joe

 

[Snarkys]

no , now I just feed normaly . he knows it is feeding time an chases it down like the rest of the fish

 

[Aimforever]

Snarkys,

Any updates on the TWG? Just wondering if its still doing good, and if your method has proven successful. Did you ever get a mate?

 

[fishyz]

I have had my twin spot goby for a little over a month now. He has readily accepted mysis since about day 3. Now, he even swims up higher in the tank to get mysis.

 

[Snarkys]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10341356#post10341356 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Aimforever
Snarkys,

Any updates on the TWG? Just wondering if its still doing good, and if your method has proven successful. Did you ever get a mate?

my long nose hawkfish continually harassed him and he disappeared.

I personally would leave this fish alone unless I had a large established fine grain sand bed and no aggressive fish . The feeding method worked but it adds a bunch of nutrients to the water and its a pain in the butt. If there is anything i have learned it is to skip any coral or fish that requires special care on a daily basis. I want it to be a hobby not a chore : )

 

[Snarkys]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10341854#post10341854 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishyz
I have had my twin spot goby for a little over a month now. He has readily accepted mysis since about day 3. Now, he even swims up higher in the tank to get mysis.

You might want to try a smaller food than mysis.

I know many people have reported them just gumming mysis desperately and then spitting it back out because it is too big. Some type of gut loaded brine or even small pellet food might be a better choice.

 

[incloud]

I have had my twin spot goby for a little over a month now. He has readily accepted mysis since about day 3. Now, he even swims up higher in the tank to get mysis.

Curious what your overall experience and life ended up being with your Twinspot goby. I had a pair a year ago and loved them but they got thinner and thinner so I brought them back to avoid dealing with their death. It's been about 14 months now and my tank is very stable so I picked up a single goby to see how he does. Curious for sure if anyone has had success.

Thanks in advance for any and all replies.