Diamond Watchman Goby

[carlson]

Today i lucked up and bought a pair of Diamond Watchmen Gobies for 20$. They were supposed to be more but the lady mistacked them for engineer gobies. I don't know a lot about these fish. After i put them in the tank one of them managed to wind up in the overflow box? I haven't seen them jump any more but one of them continues to hang out around the surface of the tank which worries me. I think it might be a little scared of the flame angel. I don't have a sand bed instead the bottom of my tank is covered in purple coraline. Will this be a problem for them to eat? And should i worry about him jumping out?

 

[krisjoseph]

I'm not the world's most experienced reefer, but Diamond Watchman Gobies are sand sifters, so I'm surprised you have them in a tank with a bare bottom. Mine spends all of his time sifting sand (and he keeps it gorgeously clean!)

I did a bit of digging and it seems people have kept them in bare-bottom tanks, and they've been okay as long as they have lots of little hiding places and are eating prepared foods... but my gut says it's not the best setup for them.

 

[AdamNC]

Sand bed and a tight fitting top is best. My last one sifted sand all day long and ended himself by finding that small 1/2" gap in the screen top.

 

[carlson]

There still hanging out at the top of the tank and they aren't eating brine shrimp like I was told they were.

 

[4FordFamily]

Yes they will not thrive in an environment devoid of sand, and yes you do need a lid. Mine eat everything, but that's because the environment is "proper"

 

[carlson]

Ill prob add a sanded then this weekend. Any type yall recommend

 

[4FordFamily]

Ill prob add a sanded then this weekend. Any type yall recommend

Whatever is cheapest. Buy a glob of established sand from a fellow reefer to seed it.

 

[carlson]

Woke up one morning, I saw one dead goby and the other one was nowhere to be found. I'm gonna blame it on my flame angel. At least the hermit crabs got a meal

 

[carlson]

I found the goby in the overflow box after several weeks! Now that I have a sand bed, he's living happily in a cave he dug under a rock

 

[4FordFamily]

I found the goby in the overflow box after several weeks! Now that I have a sand bed, he's living happily in a cave he dug under a rock

Awesome! I have one in a hospital tank without sand, but he has lived in sand for a year in captivity and at this point is very hardy. Two months to go, he will hopefully pull through. Cool fish.

Funny how people come over and don't notice the Achilles, powder blues, purple, or other tangs, the Red Sea regal angel or flame angel, male blue star leopard wrasse-- no it's "hey what is this clear guy playing in the sand called"

 

[carlson]

This fish is still doing great! It's so weird how I thought he was dead forever. It's like getting an unexpected gift.

 

[alamo28]

As others have said, you do need sand and a lid. I use a piece of tile over my overflow box to keep any fish out. Once they get comfortable they will stay away from the surface but it sounds like they are not happy as of yet