Hectors gobies eat cyano?

[WhitePanther93]

So a couple of days ago I picked up a couple of hectors gobies to possibly do a bit of sand sifting and maybe keep my sand looking nice.(I had a blue diamond but he made a huge mess and somehow managed to jump through my mesh lid) so today I was doing a bit of Maintenance and watched as one bit a chunk of cyano of my rock and are it. Is this normal behavior? I’m not complaining, but I was not expecting this.

 

[CrimsonTide]

Well now I'm interested. Following to know if this is a normal thing.

 

[shakacuz]

an article on algaebarns website does state they MAY eat cyano. i have one in my 40b and i cannot attest to this.

 

[WhitePanther93]

Managed to get him on camera pecking at some. Wow my video lost a lot of quality in the upload.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I had one that would ‘peck’ at things in the tank like in that video— but it’s such a tiny fish that all the pecking in the world isn’t going to do anything substantial (IMO). It’s not like a CUC member.

 

[CrimsonTide]

I had one that would ‘peck’ at things in the tank like in that video— but it’s such a tiny fish that all the pecking in the world isn’t going to do anything substantial (IMO). It’s not like a CUC member.

Lol not a cuc member but its nice to know it will do it. I have cuc members who won't do their jobs! :: looking at you emerald crabs:: lol sometimes you gotta fire the janitors.

 

[damsels are not mean]

I have seen lots of anecdotes of these and rainfords nuking cyano (and also GHA) in the tank. I have also seen videos of them slurping cyano like ramen. I feel confident saying it's a good chance they will do so based on this, but I wouldn't buy one to deal with a cyano outbreak. Get the fish because you like the fish and if it eats a pest that's bonus.

I am under the impression they are more interested in the microorganisms in the algae and cyano than they are in the stuff itself... They like to sift sand and I think this slurping behavior may be the same thing to them. Just filtering out copepods and such...

 

[i cant think]

So a couple of days ago I picked up a couple of hectors gobies to possibly do a bit of sand sifting and maybe keep my sand looking nice.(I had a blue diamond but he made a huge mess and somehow managed to jump through my mesh lid) so today I was doing a bit of Maintenance and watched as one bit a chunk of cyano of my rock and are it. Is this normal behavior? I’m not complaining, but I was not expecting this

Mine gets rid of any pest algae quite easily. In the past I have looked after 7-8 of this species and all have done the same. Completely normal! Cyano, Diatoms, Dinoflagellates, GHA, any pest algae that grows will be eaten.

Mine quite happily pecks the rocks and sifts the sand for algae. Absolutely love this species - I have found these to be SO much more affective compared to rainfordi’s. Mine has also uncovered a group of spaghetti worms, just the question of if these would be risky with a 4th goby (Griessingeri goby).

 

[WhitePanther93]

I have seen lots of anecdotes of these and rainfords nuking cyano (and also GHA) in the tank. I have also seen videos of them slurping cyano like ramen. I feel confident saying it's a good chance they will do so based on this, but I wouldn't buy one to deal with a cyano outbreak. Get the fish because you like the fish and if it eats a pest that's bonus.

I am under the impression they are more interested in the microorganisms in the algae and cyano than they are in the stuff itself... They like to sift sand and I think this slurping behavior may be the same thing to them. Just filtering out copepods and such...

This is pretty much the exact reason I got them. They’re easy to care for, they’re known to sift sand, and in my opinion they’re gorgeous little fish. I had no idea they were possible cyano control.probably should’ve done a bit more research but meh, it’s been all positive so far. And the slurping part is pretty accurate. I’ve seen one of my guys pull of some strips and just suck it all in.

 

[damsels are not mean]

Mine gets rid of any pest algae quite easily. In the past I have looked after 7-8 of this species and all have done the same. Completely normal! Cyano, Diatoms, Dinoflagellates, GHA, any pest algae that grows will be eaten.

Mine quite happily pecks the rocks and sifts the sand for algae. Absolutely love this species - I have found these to be SO much more affective compared to rainfordi’s. Mine has also uncovered a group of spaghetti worms, just the question of if these would be risky with a 4th goby (Griessingeri goby).

I think hectori are prettier too. Unfortunately the rainfordi are more easily available it seems. I might get one in my nano but I am on the fence between it and a pygmy wrasse... Might get both but I feel they fill a similar niche and it'll look crowded.

 

[i cant think]

I think hectori are prettier too. Unfortunately the rainfordi are more easily available it seems. I might get one in my nano but I am on the fence between it and a pygmy wrasse... Might get both but I feel they fill a similar niche and it'll look crowded.

What size tank?

 

[damsels are not mean]

What size tank?

It's a 28gal cube. Only a clownfish in there right now but she has never been aggressive to other inhabitants.

 

[i cant think]

It's a 28gal cube. Only a clownfish in there right now but she has never been aggressive to other inhabitants.

You could get both - I have a hectors goby, pink streak wrasse, black clown goby, linear blenny, blue star leopard wrasse (Temporary), naoko fairy wrasse (Temporary), yasha goby in a Red Sea Max Nano and there’s no issues. Then again all of them are peaceful so that may make it easier to have them aswell as how they’re not much in terms of swimmers, only the two “large” wrasses truly use the swimming space, the other guys will mostly perch on rocks/sand, hover close to the sand or rock or hover in the upper water column.

 

[2Plus2]

So a couple of days ago I picked up a couple of hectors gobies to possibly do a bit of sand sifting and maybe keep my sand looking nice.(I had a blue diamond but he made a huge mess and somehow managed to jump through my mesh lid) so today I was doing a bit of Maintenance and watched as one bit a chunk of cyano of my rock and are it. Is this normal behavior? I’m not complaining, but I was not expecting this.

I know this is super old but I just wanted to add to this.

I just searched this up, I've had a hectors for about 2 weeks now. Rarely see it, and today he's hanging out all day with my tail spot blenny so i get mad excited and try to feed the tank, it didn't go for anything.

But I'm watching it for over 2 hours and he's eating up all the reddish brownish stringy stuff growing on everything, new tank syndrome of course. But he looks bigger and fatter than when I first got it.

This little thing is just chowing down all of it, off the rocks, off the sandbed, like eating it. He had one long stringy one and just gobbled it all up. lol