How Can I Safely Remove My Yellow Watchman Goby

[sswm]

My little friend has chosen a rock as his home base that I need to remove from the tank so that I can deal with some colonial hydroids. Every time I open the lid of my tank(Fluval Evo) and put my hand inside, the noise and my presence makes him bolt inside of his rock. When he does this, he is truly inside the rock, as I cannot see him looking into any of the entrances he comes out.

How would you go about taking the rock out safely with him inside? Will he come out himself if the rock is out of the water?

Here he is poking his head out of one of the holes

 

[Ludders]

Just slowly remove the rock and he should vacate it as you are taking it out of the water

 

[sswm]

Just slowly remove the rock and he should vacate it as you are taking it out of the water

Okay, that easy eh...thanks

 

[Ludders]

oh and good luck

 

[xCry0x]

When I last moved my tank, I never actually removed my YWG from the tank. I pulled out every rock and couldn't find him.

Somehow he appeared in my tank when I had it re-set up.

So I wouldn't say it is a sure thing that he comes out of the rock when you remove it =)

 

[saltyhog]

I had a Tribal blenny that I removed for eating montis and other SPS. I pulled his rock and literally had to shake it to get him out.