Which goby pair should I buy?

[JaneG]

Hello everybody! I'm currently deciding the last addition to my tank and would like to have a mated pair of gobies. Currently I'm selecting between 3 and would appreciate everybody's input.

Red head goby (Elacatinus puncticulatus)

Greenbanded goby (Elacatinus multifasciatum)

Cleaner goby (Elacatinus oceanops)

At this point I'm really clueless as to which to buy... maybe I'm overthinking this? Mainly I'm looking for whichever one would be the most entertaining. Thanks for your help! :wave:

 

[jayelblock]

It's hard to make a recommendation without knowing more about the environment the fish will be in. However, I have kept all three, and traded the neon gobies and green banded gobies away to other reefers. The green banded didn't do much, and the neon gobies did even less. They basically stuck to the silicone seals of my aquarium 24/7. The red headed goby is a very active and interesting fish, at least he was in my tank. It all depends on whether you have a passive environment in your tank that will keep these small fish confident and busy.

 

[snorvich]

Environment please?

 

[iamwrasseman]

i myself like the yellow head sleeper gobies and i know you didn't mention them but they are very good workers for you sand bed .

 

[zachk]

Whichever you decide, you'll be looking at a pair of fish that won't be overly active or exciting. The cleaner gobies will "ride" by 6" Yellow Headed Wrasse around the tank on occasion. That's about as good as it gets. The Green Banded will scoot around on the bottom.

 

[iamwrasseman]

agreed unless its a nano tank ?

 

[JaneG]

I was planning on putting the fish in a 17.4g ada tank with a 20g sump. The other tankmates I was thinking about (not set on them though) are a pair of jawfish from Sealifeinc and an ocellaris clownfish or 2. :wave: I think that I'm walking on glass though, with territory issues if I choose to go with 2 ocellaris clowns. Are there any other goby ideas you folks could suggest? Thanks!