Why can't I keep any watchman gobies alive

[LordNecro]

Little bit of background info: I have a 20 gallon tank that is over 2 months old. Current stocking is a pair of clowns, a fire goby, and a bunch of LPS/Softies

So I bought a yellow watchman about 3 weeks back. The first one I know cause of death. He was stressed out from the LFS tank + acclimation and was injured in the LFS and it died after a night in my tank. The week after I buy another yellow watchman from the LFS, this time it seemed to be much better than my first one. It was shifting the sand the first night and made a huge mound. Then it stopped shifting the sand and would randomly just start swimming on the sides of my tank. It didn't eat anything I tried to feed it (2 different pellets + Mysis shrimp). It died after 5 days, last Friday. So yesterday I went to pick up a Yasha goby which just arrived at my LFS. This time after acclimation it decided to jump on top of the wavemaker and its lower body went in resulting in a damaged tail and fin which I could see. I hoped it could heal in my tank but I came back home from my driving lesson and boom I see it dead. I tried feeding mysis earlier this morning but it did not eat.

I feel like I don't want to try another sand shifting goby. I'm a beginner and these 3 deaths have been really depressing me. All my other livestock are all fine and happy. I'm currently deciding whether I should just wait until I see an ORA captive bred goby (watchman or other species) available on LA. All the fishes at my LFS are wild-caught except for clowns. I don't know if a captive-bred really had a better chance of survival but at least its accustomed to eating pellets and other food.

 

[Spare time]

Those are not sand sifting gobies. Those are all types of watchmen style gobies. They live in burrows and will sit in them but to not filter sand for plankton and what not like diamond gobies. I am guessing what you saw was just the fish burrowing. As for why the yellow ones died, I think you answered the first one, and the second one may have just been bad luck unless. Maybe the LFS needs a better source of their gobies or maybe the LFS isn't taking good care of them. I would maybe consider getting one with a pistol shrimp on live aquaria from divers den (these gobies live with pistol shrimps). As for the yasha, this is why a lot of wavemakers are poorly designed. You need one that does not have wide spacing between the grills. It seems that many of the wavemaker/powerhead companies don't take into account that their products are death traps for fish and anemones.

As for true sand sifters such as twin spots and diamonds, a 20g is not big enough.

 

[Tamberav]

Little bit of background info: I have a 20 gallon tank that is over 2 months old. Current stocking is a pair of clowns, a fire goby, and a bunch of LPS/Softies

So I bought a yellow watchman about 3 weeks back. The first one I know cause of death. He was stressed out from the LFS tank + acclimation and was injured in the LFS and it died after a night in my tank. The week after I buy another yellow watchman from the LFS, this time it seemed to be much better than my first one. It was shifting the sand the first night and made a huge mound. Then it stopped shifting the sand and would randomly just start swimming on the sides of my tank. It didn't eat anything I tried to feed it (2 different pellets + Mysis shrimp). It died after 5 days, last Friday. So yesterday I went to pick up a Yasha goby which just arrived at my LFS. This time after acclimation it decided to jump on top of the wavemaker and its lower body went in resulting in a damaged tail and fin which I could see. I hoped it could heal in my tank but I came back home from my driving lesson and boom I see it dead. I tried feeding mysis earlier this morning but it did not eat.

I feel like I don't want to try another sand shifting goby. I'm a beginner and these 3 deaths have been really depressing me. All my other livestock are all fine and happy. I'm currently deciding whether I should just wait until I see an ORA captive bred goby (watchman or other species) available on LA. All the fishes at my LFS are wild-caught except for clowns. I don't know if a captive-bred really had a better chance of survival but at least its accustomed to eating pellets and other food.

Petcos that have salt should be able to order ORA fish....just need to try and be there on the delivery day (they should know what days they get delivered and a general time) and pick them up in the bag so they don't mix with pectos water. Ofc with them selling LA this may have changed but it is how I did it in the past when I lived in a small town.

 

[LordNecro]

Those are not sand sifting gobies. Those are all types of watchmen style gobies. They live in burrows and will sit in them but to not filter sand for plankton and what not like diamond gobies. I am guessing what you saw was just the fish burrowing. As for why the yellow ones died, I think you answered the first one, and the second one may have just been bad luck unless. Maybe the LFS needs a better source of their gobies or maybe the LFS isn't taking good care of them. I would maybe consider getting one with a pistol shrimp on live aquaria from divers den (these gobies live with pistol shrimps). As for the yasha, this is why a lot of wavemakers are poorly designed. You need one that does not have wide spacing between the grills. It seems that many of the wavemaker/powerhead companies don't take into account that their products are death traps for fish and anemones.

As for true sand sifters such as twin spots and diamonds, a 20g is not big enough.

Thanks for the correction. Yeah I know they live in burrows but I haven't had one that burrowed yet . As for the second one yeah maybe just bad luck. Yeah I was considering getting one with a pistol shrimp (I know they pair with shrimps, I was considering a shrimp, why I want a watchman), only thing is I hear that the shrimp will be an ******* to frags in the sand so I just want the goby for now.

 

[LordNecro]

Petcos that have salt should be able to order ORA fish....just need to try and be there on the delivery day (they should know what days they get delivered and a general time) and pick them up in the bag so they don't mix with pectos water. Ofc with them selling LA this may have changed but it is how I did it in the past when I lived in a small town.

Thanks! I haven't been to a petco since I heard most of them aren't too good, it depends on who is running their saltwater section. I will consider looking into a petco or just buying an ORA one online. My family didn't want to order online due to really high shipping costs but I don't care now

 

[Spare time]

Thanks for the correction. Yeah I know they live in burrows but I haven't had one that burrowed yet . As for the second one yeah maybe just bad luck. Yeah I was considering getting one with a pistol shrimp (I know they pair with shrimps, I was considering a shrimp, why I want a watchman), only thing is I hear that the shrimp will be an ******* to frags in the sand so I just want the goby for now.

The pistol won't bother frags unless it is right by the cave at which it might "decorate" the surroundings lol.

PS don't feel bad about the fish and what not, things like this happen and we find these hiccups in the road of reefkeeping. Trust me, I have had quite the hiccup or two lol

 

[LordNecro]

The pistol won't bother frags unless it is right by the cave at which it might "decorate" the surroundings lol.

PS don't feel bad about the fish and what not, things like this happen and we find these hiccups in the road of reefkeeping. Trust me, I have had quite the hiccup or two lol

Yeah I might try it I'll think about it. I might just go for a jawfish or dragonent now, my family is probably going to say to buy another goby from the LFS I bought the other 3 that died from. I'm not sure if its their supplier or bad care. I don't think its badcare as they were all purchased when the store just got them that day but I asked if they could get captive bred fish and they said no

 

[Tamberav]

Thanks! I haven't been to a petco since I heard most of them aren't too good, it depends on who is running their saltwater section. I will consider looking into a petco or just buying an ORA one online. My family didn't want to order online due to really high shipping costs but I don't care now

They wont charge you shipping if you order through the store. They just put it in on their next order of fish they regularly get like a LFS would and if it does not look good in the bag you do not have to take it (you don't pay ahead or anything).

At least this is how it worked when I used to order from one of their stores. It is worth checking out.

 

[Tamberav]

Yeah I might try it I'll think about it. I might just go for a jawfish or dragonent now, my family is probably going to say to buy another goby from the LFS I bought the other 3 that died from. I'm not sure if its their supplier or bad care. I don't think its badcare as they were all purchased when the store just got them that day but I asked if they could get captive bred fish and they said no

Dragonets require special care so be careful, especially the wild caught ones. They are not really appropriate for a newer 20g as keeping them fed is a challenge. They often show up to the store already half starved.

Jawfish are fine though, you just need a lid as they try to jump out a lot.

 

[LordNecro]

Dragonets require special care so be careful, especially the wild caught ones. They are not really appropriate for a newer 20g as keeping them fed is a challenge. They often show up to the store already half starved.

Jawfish are fine though, you just need a lid as they try to jump out a lot.

Yeah I already done research on most potential tank mates. I know dragonets are hard and need pods so probably not

 

[LordNecro]

Also yup I asked my family if I could order online and they said I’m not allowed to since I can just buy another goby from the LFS (yasha or two spot) and swear a captive bred online wouldn’t have any advantage and would have the same problems

 

[Spare time]

Yeah I might try it I'll think about it. I might just go for a jawfish or dragonent now, my family is probably going to say to buy another goby from the LFS I bought the other 3 that died from. I'm not sure if its their supplier or bad care. I don't think its badcare as they were all purchased when the store just got them that day but I asked if they could get captive bred fish and they said no

A Pearly jawfish would be great! Just make sure you have a lid. They are one of my favorite fish. A dragonet needs a bigger tank because they primarily eat copepods and they need a large supply.

 

[LordNecro]

A Pearly jawfish would be great! Just make sure you have a lid. They are one of my favorite fish. A dragonet needs a bigger tank because they primarily eat copepods and they need a large supply.

Thanks! Yeah I was really interested in jawfish. I was put off by them being mostly carnivores. Have you had success feeding them pellets? I only feed mysis every other day.

 

[Tamberav]

Thanks! Yeah I was really interested in jawfish. I was put off by them being mostly carnivores. Have you had success feeding them pellets? I only feed mysis every other day.

I don't really feed a lot of dry foods so can't say how they do. I feed a lot of frozen and live foods as I have some more difficult to keep fish.

Do not buy a two spot goby, they have extremely poor success rate. They are a difficult to keep sand-sifter. I tried one once years ago in a larger tank and it would not take any prepared foods which is typical for them.

 

[LordNecro]

I don't really feed a lot of dry foods so can't say how they do. I feed a lot of frozen and live foods as I have some more difficult to keep fish.

Do not buy a two spot goby, they have extremely poor success rate. They are a difficult to keep sand-sifter. I tried one once years ago in a larger tank and it would not take any prepared foods which is typical for them.

Ah I only feed 2 different brands of pellets and mysis right now. Do you have any recommendations for frozen/live foods for smaller fish?

 

[NashobaTek]

Fresh brine shrimp hatch is a good live food if you feed it enriched and within 12 hrs of hatching.

 

[Tamberav]

Ah I only feed 2 different brands of pellets and mysis right now. Do you have any recommendations for frozen/live foods for smaller fish?

LRS nano or regular LRS reef frenzy that you chop up while frozen are excellent prepared frozen fish foods. I culture live white worms in a bin (easy) and buy live black worms. I also have a baby brine shrimp hatchery (easy). Sometimes I buy live clams at a market, put them in the freezer then open them up and chop and feed. Adding a drop of selcon (vitamins/fatty acids) to dry pellets would be a good idea if you feed dry often.

 

[LordNecro]

Fresh brine shrimp hatch is a good live food if you feed it enriched and within 12 hrs of hatching.

Thanks! I was looking into these hatching kits for brine shrimp, how easy/hard is it if you hatch them yourself?

 

[LordNecro]

LRS nano or regular LRS reef frenzy that you chop up while frozen are excellent prepared frozen fish foods. I culture live white worms in a bin (easy) and buy live black worms. I also have a baby brine shrimp hatchery (easy). Sometimes I buy live clams at a market, put them in the freezer then open them up and chop and feed. Adding a drop of selcon (vitamins/fatty acids) to dry pellets would be a good idea if you feed dry often.

Thanks! Yeah I was looking into selcon but not sure why a bunch have bad reviews. I’ll look into reef frenzy as I heard a bunch of people like it, you can also feed to it coral no? As for culturing white worms and hatching brine shrimp do you have any guides or products? Was wanting to try those 2 myself

 

[NashobaTek]

Thanks! I was looking into these hatching kits for brine shrimp, how easy/hard is it if you hatch them yourself?

Super easy, I use 2 2 liter bottles for the hatcheries. A air pump and some tubing with valves to adjust the bubbles.
I get my brine shrimp eggs from brine shrimp direct in Utah.

Lots of videos on YouTube on diy hatcheries.