Which Sand-Sifting Goby to Add?

Shanae Brines · Jan 9, 2020

I'm looking for an opinion on which sand-sifting goby I should add to my 80g with a 20g sump. I have live rock substrate, so the sand is more of a very fine gravel, than a sand. I've had a reef tank for about 12 yrs, but this is a new one has been up and running for about a year. I have 2 Onyx Clowns, an Azure Damsel and a Coral Beauty Angel. I am adding a Red Flame Hawkfish.....

I've had a few sand-sifters in the past, but it's been a few years. I want one that doesn't hide and sifts/swims more out in the open. I believe my Banded Sleeper Goby had a great personality with being out in the open, but I'm looking for a bit more colorful fish (I have a kid who's demanding color and grey isn't going to cut it lol). I was looking at the Yellow Prawn Goby, but it appears to hide more than be in the open? What about the Diamond Watchman? Are all the shrimp-paired gobies burrowers/hiders?

Does anyone have a recommendation of the right Sifting Goby for me?

Katrina71 · Jan 9, 2020

I'd go for a pink spot or blue spot goby with a tiger pistol shrimp.

mike550 · Jan 9, 2020

We have a Diamond Watchman. Great color and personality. Does a great job with the sand.

stanleo · Jan 9, 2020

I love my tiger watchman goby. Always busy and so nice looking.

Shanae Brines · Jan 9, 2020

My next question is: if I get a Watchman Goby and a Pistol Shrimp, will the Pistol Shrimp fight with a Skunk Cleaner Shrimp if the tank is 80g?

Zack K · Jan 9, 2020

The shrimp will not fight. they stay away from eachother for the most part.

Pbh-reef · Jan 10, 2020

In my 10 gallon the pistol killed the cleaner but in an 80 they should have enough space for the cleaner to be ok unless it gets unlucky.

Also A sand sifting “watchman” goby of the Valenciennea genus will not pair with a pistol shrimp and will sift a lot more sand than a true shrimp goby. You can get both though

Kresimir_72 · Feb 19, 2020

I'm also interested in geting one puellaris or sexguttata for sand sifting but everybody I ask are against it.... sand on lower part of stone, sand over corals in sand, sandy water all the time...

I'm not so sure what to do...

Cell · Feb 19, 2020

Ywg's arent sand sifters. You want a diamond watchmen.

Kresimir_72 · Feb 19, 2020

Don't understand you...Diamond Watchman Goby is Valenciennea puellaris....

SeaJay · Feb 19, 2020

Cell said:
Ywg's arent sand sifters. You want a diamond watchmen.

Neither is the blue spot/black fin that I think a previous comment mentioned. I've had a couple diamond and they're pretty good. The prettiest, hardiest, most active, least reclusive goby that I've had is the gold head sleeper. The only downside is that since he is constantly swimming around churning sand like crazy, he often dumps it all over the lower rocks. I don't have corals yet, but when I do I could see this being a problem.

Intense37754 · Feb 19, 2020

Our Diamond goby sifts sand all day long and moves/piles sand on rocks and anything it wants, no corals so I really don’t care.

Yellow watchman in another tank here chills out all day while tiger pistol shrimp works.

I seen someone already mentioned it but what or is there a tank size diamond spot and yellow watchman/pistol shrimp will co-exist in the same tank?