Will my goby starve himself?

[AmberL]

I placed my new Diamond Watchman goby in my tank on Wednesday and he immediately went into a cave. I haven't seen him come out at all. I moved rock yesterday to make sure he was still alive and he was. I'm afraid he's going to stay in there and starve. Will he come out eventually and start sifting sand through his gills to eat, or is there a chance that he's too scared and will starve himself?

[dowtish]

I sure hope not. Is there a lot of large fish in the tank for it to be afraid of?

you can always try putting some food right at the cave where it is hiding.

[AmberL]

It's a 90 gallon and I only have two juvenile clowns and a midas blenny.

I'll use the turkey baster and put some frozen mysis shrimp in the cave. Should that work?

[stingythingy45]

Unfortunately,even if he comes out and starts eating it will probably starve eventually.
Diamond gobies live off fauna and microorganisms in the sand bed.
They rarely do well in anything less than like 400 gallon tanks.

[dowtish]

only time will tell...I would think with that small amount of livestock that it should come out soon. I had the exact opposite experience, mine was sifting and eating within 10 minutes of adding it to the tank. Mine has no fear, and doesnt even run when I'm staring at it just on the other side of the glass. It eats non stop. it even scrapes the rock with its mouth, but I know its going after the pods. hopefully yours is just acclimating and will be out and happy soon.

[AmberL]

Unfortunately,even if he comes out and starts eating it will probably starve eventually.
Diamond gobies live off fauna and microorganisms in the sand bed.
They rarely do well in anything less than like 400 gallon tanks.

Really? Liveaquaria says the minimum tank size is 50 gallons. I have plenty of algae on my sand - it's completely brown in about half the tank.

[dowtish]

Unfortunately,even if he comes out and starts eating it will probably starve eventually.
Diamond gobies live off fauna and microorganisms in the sand bed.
They rarely do well in anything less than like 400 gallon tanks.

You cant put them all in a box like that. Every fish has its own personality. mine will never starve, it eats anything I put in the tank.

[stingythingy45]

You cant put them all in a box like that. Every fish has its own personality. mine will never starve, it eats anything I put in the tank.

I did say"rarely".Perhaps you have the exception.But it can take many months,even up to a year in some cases.
Also,if you do not have a cover for your tank,consider getting one.
These fish are notorious for carpet diving at night.

[L98-Z]

My first diamond goby ate everything. Anything in the sand, brine, mysis, pellets... you name it. He committed suicide awhile back by jumping onto the center brace and getting a terrible MH sunburn. I decided to get a pair this time from Vividaquariums (only place I've seen that sell them as a pair) in my much smaller 75 gallon. I assumed much like the previous they would quickly take to eating most anything.

So far... neither has taken to eating food that has fallen to the sandbed and to further complications the "male/female pair" do not get along together causing one to starve even more than the other.

[AmberL]

He came out to eat on Saturday briefly. Yesterday he was out for a good 15 minutes straight. I think he's finally adjusting to his new surroundings. He claimed a new cave after I had torn apart the other one to ensure he was still alive.

Will a diamond goby pair up with a pistol shrimp, or is it just the yellow watchmen gobies that do that?

[L98-Z]

Doubtful he will pair with a pistol shrimp. I haven't seen one do it yet. Diamond gobies tend to be very active swimming around the entire tank scooping sand. Watchmen Gobies tend to stay in their homes.

[Toddrtrex]

I have had 2 different ones that ate everything I put in the tank, and yet they still, slowly, starved over the course of a year. One fish that I won't ever get again.