# Anyone keep Goby?



## small fry (Oct 14, 2010)

I have several questions involveing the way I will stock a SW aquarium, and I was wondering if anyone kept gobies or knew alot about them. Can't really find the answers on the internet.


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## small fry (Oct 14, 2010)

There aren't any active members that keep any kind of goby on this forum??:|


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## pretzelsz (Jan 14, 2010)

Is there any specific kind of goby you want info on?


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

Yellow Watchman, I'm sure. ;-)


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## pretzelsz (Jan 14, 2010)

hahaha ya, Also I found this article hopefully it will help you a bit. Yellow Watchman Goby

In like a year or something I might get one but for now I have other plans


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## small fry (Oct 14, 2010)

Thanks so much for the article! Very helpful! As far as gobies, Yellow Watchman are no doubt my favorite, if not my favorite fish in the entire Saltwater hobby!

I am also considering keeping Black Clown Goby and Firefish Goby in the same tank.


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## Mike (Jul 16, 2006)

I have a pink spotted shrimp goby. It looks like this










It's a great fish!


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## pak9927 (Jul 16, 2008)

i prefer diamond goby which can clean your sand bed. yellow watchman will do nothing for your tank


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## trukgirl (Jan 28, 2010)

Sorry, I haven't been on in a while. I have a yellow watchman goby. What do you want to know? I've had him since may or june last year.
Mine does not live with a pistol shrimp yet. I hope he is not too old to pair up with one.


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## Plumkin (Jan 24, 2011)

I had a freshwater Goby he was so cute! we named him lil goober sadly my clown knife ate him and everything elsa in the tank


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## small fry (Oct 14, 2010)

pak9927 said:


> i prefer diamond goby which can clean your sand bed. yellow watchman will do nothing for your tank


Yes, I know the diamond goby also pairs up with shrimp, and that they clean tanks. Yellow Watchman are probably my favorite SW fish in the hobby, though. I'd love to have one in my tank!

Thanks for the suggestion, though!


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## lovegod710 (Mar 4, 2011)

Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love reading more on this topic. If possible, as you gain knowledge, would you mind updating your blog with extra information? It is extremely useful for me.


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## trukgirl (Jan 28, 2010)

I ended up finally getting a pistol shrimp which I believe is a Randall's. Dropped him directly in front of the goby and he ran into the back corner and found his OWN space. Problem is, he is TEENY TINY (less than half the length of the goby) and never comes out of his hole. I hope after he grows some they will find each other again. Their hideouts are only about 4-5 inches from each other.


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## Warpig (Mar 6, 2010)

Here are my two gobies.

A yellow Headed Sleeper Goby (Valenciennea.Strigata)












And a Black lined Sleeper Goby (Valenciennea Helsdingenii)











In my Q tank right now but only a day or two away from going into my 180 DT.

Nick


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## small fry (Oct 14, 2010)

Wow! Beautiful gobies! I saw that yellow headed sleeper at a saltwater fish store and have been wondering what it was ever since! I really love the way those look!:-D


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## pak9927 (Jul 16, 2008)

becareful they would likely jump off your tank,have to be very tide covering


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## Warpig (Mar 6, 2010)

I have 100% glass tops covering the tank it's not possible to jump out to the floor. I wonder if they could jump into the corner overflows tho. I have quite a flow rate going and they either would get jammed up in my 1" overflow tubing or at a half closed 1" ball valve before the sump. Are they skilled jumpers, accuracy wise, or just taking leaps of faith? the space available to make it into the overflows is pretty small with the tops on the tank. I cant say impossible but they would have to be able to have very good accuracy. I was thinking of hitting the Hobby Lobby for some plastic canvas and zip tying it around the edges of the overflows just as some added insurance.


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

*oh*

i own several gobies...i have a breeding pair of yellow watch mans with pistol shrimp as well.what was your question.


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## pak9927 (Jul 16, 2008)

yes they are jumpers but yellow watchman. the past year i had 4 diamond goby 3 were jump off and one dead in the tank, last week my goldhead goby was dead in tank may be the problem is i have an yellow angel its a very aggressive to the new fishes. if u don't have an aggressive fish it may not happen to u


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## small fry (Oct 14, 2010)

Wow! Alot of people keep goby! I don't know if I had a question right now, I guess I wanted to see how many of you guys keep Goby. I might get a YWG at the end of this summer, because I don't know how hot the saltwater tank will get, and the damsels may be more suited for the summer. I will see what I can do to cool it down.

Thanks for posting!


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## Warpig (Mar 6, 2010)

I feel your pain on the tank heat issue. I have not used a heater in my display tank at all and my water temps hover from 79-81 F. I live in a 2nd floor condo. My T5HO's put allot of heat into the water. They keep my tank temps right at 80F. That would be great if it was summer but it's winter. The outside temp is 30F. since I have a FOWLR tank my first line of defense will be to change from T5HO to LED lighting. I hope that will be enough. I really dont want to spend US$750 on a chiller. Hopefully my AC will help out a bit in the summer months.


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## trukgirl (Jan 28, 2010)

Warpig said:


> I feel your pain on the tank heat issue. I have not used a heater in my display tank at all and my water temps hover from 79-81 F. I live in a 2nd floor condo. My T5HO's put allot of heat into the water. They keep my tank temps right at 80F. That would be great if it was summer but it's winter. The outside temp is 30F. since I have a FOWLR tank my first line of defense will be to change from T5HO to LED lighting. I hope that will be enough. I really dont want to spend US$750 on a chiller. Hopefully my AC will help out a bit in the summer months.


Sometimes putting some sort of fan to blow across the top of the water can help cool it off. Watch how its mounted and if it gets spray on it though so nobody gets electricuted!!!


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## trukgirl (Jan 28, 2010)

On the jumping issue...I have found my YWG stuck in the overflow before!!
I cut fluorescent light grating and put it on top of my tank to keep jumping from happening. Since it is an open grating it also allows for gas exchange into the air, while completely covering it with glass or plexiglass does not.


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## Warpig (Mar 6, 2010)

I have thought about blowing a couple fans over the water in my sump. In fact I have a industrial blower that came out of a data center server rack that moves serious amounts of air. On the rare occasion my water temps have raised above 82F I leave the blower blowing on my water in the sump all day. i evap about twice as much water on those days but it keeps the temps down. only problem is the darn thing is LOUD! I need something quieter like PC fans or something I can mount or clip on the sump permanently and set some kind of thermostat.


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## Teishokue (Mar 10, 2011)

Ive noticed nobody really keeps black clown gobies.... I was wondering why?


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## small fry (Oct 14, 2010)

Teishokue said:


> Ive noticed nobody really keeps black clown gobies.... I was wondering why?


I've been wanting to, but I can't find them, and for now I have 2 Damselfish in the tank that I need to give away/sell before I get anything peaceful.

I love Black Clowns!:-D


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

*hmmm*

i think it is when people want a goby they think of yellow or green ..pink or striped..not that the black gobies wouldnt be cool..just not alot of people that are fans of the darker colors in the salt fishes..do you have a black clown goby?


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## trukgirl (Jan 28, 2010)

I've never seen a black clown goby.


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## Teishokue (Mar 10, 2011)

I currently Own 2 black clown gobies in a small experimental tank. considering the fact that everyone says gobies/dragonnets are hard to keep. my current water parameters are terrible, i have to reconstruct since fish lice has been introduced  and possible brooklynella or marine itch.


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## Teishokue (Mar 10, 2011)

although my gobies seem fine / eating very well. they seem to be discolored at times. not sure why but some days they look just like a b/w striped goby other times they look black.


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

*black*

cool man hook us up with some pics...in both color varients if possible...sometimes my yellow prawn goby male turns a blue color right before they spawn.i am hoping i have the camera ready when mine change color again.


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## Teishokue (Mar 10, 2011)

lol im kind of scared to put up pics hahaha. knowing my experimental tank is... experimental


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