goby city? multiple goby question

[anthias_949]

i thought that because of the fact that most gobies are very territorial you could not keep more than one per something like 50 gallons. but in this persons tank there are a definate four even in one space at one time. nonetheless this is a 20gal tank! would someone explain so that i might better my knowlege about this?

here's the link
http://reefcorner54.com/GobyCity-TheGobies.htm

[SDRotary619]

I have 2 yellow clowns, and another unknown goby with my pistol shrimp and they have no quarrels in my 40g.

[Schmev]

I had no idea gobies had problems with other species. I had always thought a handful of goby species will fight with their own kind unless they're a mated pair. I haven't seen any evidence of fighting between species in my experiences.

[Rikko]

I think most blanket rules about personalities aren't terribly accurate. If you get on a motorcycle you're going to die... If you *cough* you'll grow hair on your palms... Indeed.
I've known people with piranha tanks that had a feeder goldfish that was never eaten. All feeders for years got devoured but this one never got eaten in that time - he grew bigger than the piranha.
You just can't accurately predict a fish's personality, only make guesses based on the norm.

Shrimp gobies have a reputation of getting snarky with one another, but how many people really tempt fate? I did my homework and only got one. Short of Cliff throwing an absolute tantrum when I added a mandarin dragonet to my display, he showed no interest in anything that went on around him. Would he attack another shrimp goby? Any shrimp goby? A non-shrimp goby (He ignores the firefish)? Too many variables, though I would say that this person was irresponsible in combining all those fish, even though it worked out for them.

[kevinrs]

well i have 3 gobies, 1 sissortail goby, which is not bothered by any of the fish, and keeps to himself, and 2 firefish gobies, they dont bother the sissortail, but occasionally one will chase the other and actually one time took a bite out of his tail. So now the one with a bite in his tail missing lives with the sissortail under the same piece of lr, and the other fire lives on the other side of the tank and they are all three doing fine, but this is a 75 gallon tank.

[astronaut]

not to hijack, but would just a little clown goby and a school of 3 blue gudgeons be okay? it seems like they would, because the blue gudgeons, from what i have heard, it seems wouldnt be horribly territorial, and even if the clown had a favorite monti cap, it couldnt do too much harm to a school of blue gudgeons. am i right, or totally off base?

[jer77]

I have kept a mandarin, firefish, and a sand-sifting goby in a 55g for some time with no problems. I have heard from some people that a goby species tank is a horrible idea, but I was informed these fish would be ok together. I make sure they all get feed well since they compete for the same food, and I have lots of sand and LR for them to hid in.

[Rikko]

kevinrs - A little anecdote for you from my experience.. I bought a couple of firefish hoping I would end up with a pair. I got no promises that they would be a pair and accepted that..

Yup. Two males.

After 3 months or so the fighting got a little out of hand. The weaker one was hounded into one small area of the tank and was starting to show physical damage. I took a chance and took home one from work who was also a little banged up..

Whew! They are fine now. The two banged up ones are usually close to one another and the dominant one is never much farther away. They don't fight nor take too much interest in one another. I never found much written on their aggression in a "school" (I use the word loosely, 3 is a pretty pitiful school) setting, but this worked for me and saved me the agony of trying to catch one of them.

[Gargausius]

I believe there are two male Gold Neon Head Pygmy Gobies (Eviota pellucida) in my 6 gallon nano-reef. There is bickering, but there's enough space for both to co-exist without killing each other. I originally had three, but lost the third during a move. These gobies top off at an inch. Rare, real cool too.

[anthias_949]

Thank you all greatly for you knowlege and opinions!!!!!!

[astronaut]

jer77, mandarins aren't gobies, they're dragonets, and male dragonets will fight to the death.

[AquariaOCD]

I have two clown gobies that have killed a total of 6 damsels!!!!! They and a sunrise dottyback were the only three fish in a 55 gal. All three of them have been banished to a 20 long until they learn manners.

[squeezix]

OK, please remember Mandarins are not Gobies no matter what anyone says. Synchiropus are a completely different species.

Goby city has been up and running for some time, I've followed his progress and am envious.

I think it's very important when stocking to take into consideration each animal's niche in the big picture. A firefish will occupy the mid-water area, while a watchman or shrimp goby, the bottom. Other gobies, such as gudgeon, shoal and live in their own community.

Fish will attack fish that look like themselves most often. Plan for fish that live in different places.

Now will anyone tell me how to get this atlantic pygmy angel (centropyge) of of my f%*&%%ing tank?

[STACKER]

#22 hook (debarbed), 2 lb. tippet and a hunk of it's fav foor. That's how I removed a troublesome Lunare Wrasse. Like fighting a small bass LOL... Most of my fish will follow me to feed, some will take food by hand. When the see the net they are gone! Poof! I went angling!!! And to my surprize it worked!

[shanekennedy]

i you sure you're not think blennies & not gobies.

i have a redhead, neon, orange-bar, red-bar & high--fin red banded & they all get along great. the 3 bottom gobies all live under the same rock.

[Drewpy]

i am new the hobby but have several gobies in my tank and there are no problems. Even with a blenny and jawfish. Maybe that will change as they get older but i don't know... Maybe by then like everyone else it seems i'll have a bigger tank

Here is my experience if it helps:

I have a diamond watchman, a pink bar goby, two neon cleaners, a yellow clown goby, a green clown goby, a safin blenny, and a yellow headed jaw fish.

They all seem quite content. One thing i did to help though was to 'encourage' the burrowing gobys and the jawfish to pre-started homes (burrows in the sand) that were spaced apart in the tank. I took small pieces of rock and glued them together outside of the tank to form tops of caves for them to burrow under. Then i placed the rock in the sand and with my finger started a burrow underneath it. I was amazed at how each fish took to their designated home so easily. Just a matter of 'encouraging' him to go near it--- then each one of them did the rest.
The diamond watchman ventures out to sift sand but maintains his home religiously. The pink bar is still shy but comes out to eat and mostly just hangs out with the pistol shrimp sharing his home. The jawfish is always near his home but will venture far when feeding. He will share his hole with pink bar at times. The blenny use to be intimidated by the sandsifter but is not anymore and prefers to swim around and lounge on rocks (not a cave dweller).
The only problem i saw once was when the blenny went in the jaw fish's hole... But the blenny i think was just exploring and left and has not returned... Jawfish ARE MISERABLE it seems without the comfort of a hole. Lost his color and pouted. Probably good to have a nice amount of sand for them too. The other gobies, even the diamond watchman, i don't think it matter as much-- probably just need some sand or he would get real bored!
The other gobies get along with everyone in the tank, which includes a tang and clownfish.

[davidryder]

i have to scooter blennies and they are not friends at all. but they have enough room to rarely bump into one another.