Two Spot Goby

[chrisdaphish]

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=216


wondering if anyone had any experience with these. they have a nice pair at my lfs and had me wondering if i should put the pair in my tank. they would be the only fish with an established sand bed. i was wondering if anyone else had these fish and their opinions. another question that i have is they dont pair up with shrimp right? ive always wanted a pistol but i dont think they pair up. someone correct me if they do. as always pictures would be appreciated thanks


chrisdaphish

[Peter Schmiedel]

check next page .. there is a thread running

[chrisdaphish]

i couldnt find the link.. do u think u can link me? or anyone want to share?

[Qdoggie]

Ive tried a couple of times to keep them. Twice with pairs and one time a single. All perished.

I consider myself better than average reefkeeper. My system was established as well. I had it running for a total of 8 years. 3 years in a 75g then converted to a 180 with the same substrate.

At one point they did look like they were doing well, then I think something happened with the chemistry of the water.

Needless to say, I believe its possible but they are very difficult to keep. The best they have done in mine was 4-6 weeks.

[chrisdaphish]

oh that sucks... any ideas what happened? what do you mean something happened with ur water chemistry

does anyone else have anything to add?

id really like to try the pair at my lfs... but im not sure i guess

[rich415]

I have a single twin spot goby. I bought it without doing proper research but have been successful. they are supposed to be kept in pairs. I bought another for it to pair with but it disapeared after one day. The single goby I have is doing well and been in my reef since July 21, 2005.

The problem people have with them is that they do not like prepared food. I tried everything including garlic extract, then finally turned to live black worms. I used a 3/8 rigid tube connected to a plastic syringe to squirt some worms to the bottom of the take with the pumps turned off. the worms are fresh water larvae so the die pretty quickly in salt water. the action they create writhing and squirming makes the fish go after it.

Pretty soon the fish gets used to the idea of food coming out of the tube so I switched to frozen mysis and the fish has been a pig ever since.

In short, they are possible to keep.

sorry for such a long post

[Qdoggie]

good to know... my water ph or ammo. went up at one point and they appeared to be a little fragile and couldnt handle the swing. it was in my 75 g...

[SDguy]

Here's one thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=210829&highlight=twin+spot+goby

[chrisdaphish]

thanks guys.. i havent really asked the lfs much about the gobies.. just see them sift sand... i just recently thought about getting them but thought i should ask around first...i hope the next time i go back they are still there=) and eating prepared food.. haha i need to go soon.. havent been there since monday *gasp* haha jkjk.. sigh but i am having doubts.. everyone talks liek it is a difficult fish to keep! haha i hope i am up to the challenge.. my 20l has no fish in it right now and has been up running for quite a while.. i think ill do some more research before i decide... any more comments/sharing is appreciated thanks

[SDguy]

20l as in 20 liters or 20 long? Frankly, either way, the food demands from even one of these fish would be a very heavy load on that size tank. Go with a wathcman or shrimp goby instead would be my suggestion.

hth

[chrisdaphish]

you think 2 in a 20 gallon tank would be too much? i have about 35 lbs of live rock and an aquac remora... and theres no other fish in there right now.. only coral...

[rich415]

I have one in a 37 gallon with asmall foot print (24"x 15"). People think they are like mandarins and eat all the pods. They eat out of the sand bed. If they do not take to prepared foods then there probably aren't too many aquariums that have an adequate sand bed to keep them from starving any way.

Try black worms/tubafex at the store. Remember they are pretty passive eaters and they will get bullied around by clown fish and other more voracious eaters. My cleaner shrimp scares away my two spot at dinner time.

Oh yeah, make sure their stomachs are not concave.

[chrisdaphish]

how long have u had urs rich? do u like the goby? how hard has it been a task to keep him healthy ? do u just eed urs balckworms and stuff? or does it take prepared frozens? thanks for the help

[rich415]

I bought him on July 21, 2005. I did it without really researching so I did not know they were such picky eaters. (I trusted the Dr. Foster website) I still feed him black worms about every other day or less. He eats all small frozen food (mysis, brine, prime reef) I just attempted to give him flake for the first time in months and he spit it out.

I love this fish he has a great personality and once adapted to the tank is very active. He has a cave under the biggest rock wich has many entrances.

The second two spot I bought looked much healthier and had more pronounced colors. He ate black worms on the second day I had him and then disapeared. The first one has been fine without a mate. from what I read it is impossible to sex these fish.

[rich415]

P.S.

There is always a risk that a fish will die. I just don't think this fish has a 100% death rate as many others do.

[chrisdaphish]

sigh.. ur story makesme want to get the pair @ my lfs=) last time i went i just watched htem for 20 minutes.. they are so cool

[rich415]

how much are they and what sort of tank does the store have them in. If they are housed with little or no ther fish they might eat black worms at the store. I really think its the action they create that stimulates the fish to eat. If there are other fish then they probably will not get any of the food.

This hobby is full of risks. I have not kept every animal alive that I put in my tank and niether has any other reefer on this board.

[chrisdaphish]

the store is selling htem @ 25 bucks each.. so 50 for hte pair..they are currenlty housed with a fair sized ocellaris in a carpet anenome with a good sandbed about 2 inches.. tank i am gussing is around 20 -30 ish.. ill definitely ask them to feed the gobies .. i try not to buy fish that arent eating.. so hopefully they will take some mysis or something..hopefully=)

[rich415]

mine was only 16 bucks and I bought him alone. so the difference is quite alot in loss.

whatever you decide good luck!

[Qdoggie]

Ill have to agree with rich on all info... my second attempt at keeping them was in a 180 with alot of other inhabitants. They didnt appear skittish, but they definitely were not getting the food they needed.

If I were you, I would try it. You seem to have a good setting for them. You now have some info on nutrition requirements and can better their chances for survival. Be prepared and educated.... Good Luck!! Ya know you want them... go get em....

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6543224#post6543224 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrisdaphish
you think 2 in a 20 gallon tank would be too much? i have about 35 lbs of live rock and an aquac remora... and theres no other fish in there right now.. only coral...

I wasn't really referring to the sand bed size, and keeping them alive just with that. I was going on the assumption that they will take prepared foods eventually :D . I just meant that a 20g could be small for fish that need constant feedings (water quality issues), but now you mention the aquaC remora, I think you'll be fine...just keep up the water changes too. Good luck with them, if you decide to go for it :thumbsup:

PS - You might want to do a search, but I believe black worms are FW, and don't carry proper nutritional value for marine fish long term.

hth

[chrisdaphish]

haha thanks for the encouragement guys i think i really might... but it just sounds like everyone else has had problems with them.. haha still deciding tho.. ill let u guys know=)