Missing Goby.....anemone dinner?

[Heather42]

I put a long tentacle anemone in about a week ago and I haven't seen my diamond watchman goby all day.

I've heard of them getting eaten before.

Is it at all possible that he got eaten by my LTA?

If so, are any of my other fish at risk of being a snack?

 

[wkscott]

Although nems can and do eat fish, your goby is probably just hihing under a rock somewhere. Mine moves from time to time and I don't see him for days or weeks at a time.

 

[Heather42]

Yea that was my initial thought, but this is the first day I haven't seen him in a month.

What other fish are at risk?
I have a wrase, fox face rabbit fish, a flame angel, and a pair of clowns (obviously the clowns are safe)

 

[wkscott]

Yea that was my initial thought, but this is the first day I haven't seen him in a month.

What other fish are at risk?
I have a wrase, fox face rabbit fish, a flame angel, and a pair of clowns (obviously the clowns are safe)

Most fish are smart enough to avoid being eaten by nems. How big is your nem?

 

[davocean]

Tank size and available swim space can be a factor, nems are just opportunistic.
I have had a goby that hid for a year once, they are pretty good at that.

 

[jp_75]

For a year? I put mine in around holidays .... Saw him for 3-4 days and than nothing.I even wanted replace him but after reading some stories maybe it's good he is gone? Anyway good luck!

 

[Heather42]

Nem is pretty big. I'd say the foot/column is approx 4-5 inches tall and 3-4 inches in diameter.

65 gallon tank (Red Sea reefer 250)

Yea he kind of annoys me so I won't be too upset. If I don't see him after a few days I will just assume he was nem dinner.

I will just keep my fingers crossed that he doesn't eat anymore of my fish.

 

[davocean]

For a year? I put mine in around holidays .... Saw him for 3-4 days and than nothing.I even wanted replace him but after reading some stories maybe it's good he is gone? Anyway good luck!

Yes I had a steinitz goby, they are not super known or popular but it was a beauty, saw it now and then and then it just dissapeared, figured a gonner, wasn't until a tank swap well over a year later I found it hiding under a rock in my 180g.
Funny thing is I had him in a holding tank during that swap out in the open and nowhere to hide really and he lost his shyness and was out all the time after that

 

[davocean]

Nem is pretty big. I'd say the foot/column is approx 4-5 inches tall and 3-4 inches in diameter.

65 gallon tank (Red Sea reefer 250)

Yea he kind of annoys me so I won't be too upset. If I don't see him after a few days I will just assume he was nem dinner.

I will just keep my fingers crossed that he doesn't eat anymore of my fish.

That size tank will have less open swim space so yeah, it's easier to get too close, but maybe it will pop up, never know.

 

[Heather42]

ok thanks. should i take it out?

 

[davocean]

Well, I'm all about anemone's so I'd run w/ it personally, but that choice is up to you, just know your limitations, and keep in mind you will need some buffer zone away from any corals as well.

 

[Heather42]

I'm 100% sure that the LTA ate it now.

I woke up to a dead flame angel yesterday and a sluggish rabbit fish.

The rabbit fish was eaten by the LTA today too. I removed the LTA and brought it back to the LFS. I can see the dang fish inside it!!!

 

[99gtbaby]

I put a long tentacle anemone in about a week ago and I haven't seen my diamond watchman goby all day.

I've heard of them getting eaten before.

Is it at all possible that he got eaten by my LTA?

If so, are any of my other fish at risk of being a snack?

Any update? Did you ever see the goby again? I have a yellow watchman goby that would come out for feeding every single day without fail and he wasn’t anywhere to be found today, I have a purple tip condy that made its home somewhat near the goby’s cave so I’m wondering if the nem got it or not.

 

[Jekyl]

I have 4 nems in my tank and have never had an issue with them eating a fish. I'd lean towards other causes. The fish know to avoid them.

 

[Cell]

The LTA is not why your fish are dying.

 

[99gtbaby]

Any update? Did you ever see the goby again? I have a yellow watchman goby that would come out for feeding every single day without fail and he wasn’t anywhere to be found today, I have a purple tip condy that made its home somewhat near the goby’s cave so I’m wondering if the nem got it or not.

Update on my reply, I found my YWG today, it’s alive and well, it found a new cave in my tank and was hiding, one of my bigger fish must have came in and disrupted its original cave so it found itself a new one.