What is My Goby Doing?

[malx]

I have this Yellow Watchman who's been in the tank for about two months. A few weeks ago he started doing this thing where he swims to the top and hangs out for a while and eventually will find himself back near the sand bed. He does this a few times a day. Anyone know what's up? Only think I can thing of is that he's either curious about what's going on in the house and comfortable, or he has no where to go? I don't have a pistol shrimp and didn't get one in fear it may bother the Emerald Crab and zoom Pom crab I have.

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[shellsea]

Any other fish that may be chasing him?

 

[EDJFA]

A pistol won't wander the tank. They like to find a spot and stay there. I've had emeralds and pistols in the same tank and they never bothered each other.

Your goby is probably just exploring. I don't see any other fish in the tank, so he's probably just figuring out his environment. Mine has built himself a cave that he tends to stay in. I've not seen him out and about for quite a long time. But then I've got quite a few other big fish that he seems to not want to deal with.

That's doesn't mean he's scared of them. I've seen him attack them when they get close to his cave. He'll come out, grab their backside, and give them a good bite to remind them that they're not welcome in his house.

They're beautiful fish. Enjoy watching him while you can.

 

[mandarin_goby]

I have pom poms, sexy shrimp and emerald crabs and my 3 pistols don't bother them.

I've noticed my watchman doing the same thing. Makes me nervous that he'll go carpet surfing one day :/

Seriously though, get a pistol. A pistol/goby pair is so much fun to watch.

 

[gone fishin]

I would guess the goby is just stretching his fins.

 

[malx]

Thanks for the tips everyone! Yeah I thought it was really weird but he seems ok! Will look into getting him a shrimp. Thanks all for the advice.

 

[stephen.davis.]

I have an orange spotted one and he does this at feeding time, will also do it just to see if i will toss in extra food

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[Willyboz1]

I hope you have a lid. My watchman started swimming up and down on the corner of the tank. I didn't have a lid. The next morning he was on my floor.

 

[Half Vaped]

Most of the Shrimp Gobies I've kept had a Pistol Shrimp partner that they stay joined at the hip with.

When my Yellow Watchman passed, I replaced him with a Wheeler's. It took a couple days before the Wheeler's hooked up with my ~5-year-old Tiger Pistol. The Wheeler's was much more outgoing and spent more time in the water column before hooking up with the Pistol. Once they connected, I just about never see my Wheeler's more than an inch or two off the substrate.

Also, my Tiger Pistol is about full grown and absolutely does not like Emerald Crabs. Whenever an Emerald gets too close to their burrow, the Pistol starts snapping at it like crazy. I'm also fairly certain the Pistol killed a bunch of the smaller snails and hermit crabs in the tank and used their shells to decorate their burrow. It leaves larger snails and hermits alone.

Emerald Crabs are pretty tough, though, so I don't think the Pistol ever actually killed one. I might be a little concerned about the Pom-pom. I don't think the Pistol will actively hunt it, but there could be trouble if the Pom-pom ventures too close to their burrow.

One of the coolest parts of reef-keeping is watching the symbiosis between the Shrimps and Gobies. But there are some small caveats...

 

[malx]

I hope you have a lid. My watchman started swimming up and down on the corner of the tank. I didn't have a lid. The next morning he was on my floor.

I have a Euro Brace, I think i'll be ok.

 

[Grkgod36]

My watchman has a nice cave that he made and pretty much stays in there 90 percent of the time .. He comes out sometimes to feed .and he likes to go to the back of the rock where his cave is , he's built another burrow .

 

[malx]

My watchman has a nice cave that he made and pretty much stays in there 90 percent of the time .. He comes out sometimes to feed .and he likes to go to the back of the rock where his cave is , he's built another burrow .

Mine doesent make caves. He could be broken.

 

[mandarin_goby]

Mine doesn't either. I just hope he finds one of my pistols soon, otherwise he just sits in a corner.

 

[Sk8r]

Oxygenation. You're not turning pumps/water movement off at night, are you? And you have a skimmer?
They can carpet-surf, too.
Also, check your alkalinity: 8.3 dkh. When it gets low, fish get irritable and want to migrate.

 

[malx]

Oxygenation. You're not turning pumps/water movement off at night, are you? And you have a skimmer?
They can carpet-surf, too.
Also, check your alkalinity: 8.3 dkh. When it gets low, fish get irritable and want to migrate.

My alk is 7.4. I have a skimmer and powerheads. Two MP40s.


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[EDJFA]

Mine doesent make caves. He could be broken.

He's not broken. He just doesn't have a ball & chain keeping him from going out with the guys.

 

[Betaktical]

He's not broken. He just doesn't have a ball & chain keeping him from going out with the guys.

Hahahahaha [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]


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[Sk8r]

Bring the alk up to 8.3. This may necessitate raising the mg, which must be over 1200. If not, raise the mg to 1350, THEN bring the alk up. That may settle him. THat 7.3 is getting a bit acidic: he may want to move out.

 

[ssick92]

I would advocate getting a tiger pistol to pair up with him. They are my favorite part of every tank. I have had pistols and emeralds in the same tank before with 0 issues.

I don't agree that alk needs to be at least 8.3, my tank is running steady at 7.7 and all my livestock seems perfectly happy.

 

[malx]

Bring the alk up to 8.3. This may necessitate raising the mg, which must be over 1200. If not, raise the mg to 1350, THEN bring the alk up. That may settle him. THat 7.3 is getting a bit acidic: he may want to move out.

My alk is fine. I think you are talk about about PH not alk. My PH bounces between 8.2 and 8.3. I run ZEOVit they recommend all between 6.5 and 7.5.


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