Gobies.. Do I just have to deal with the sand?

[Is4U2NV]

I have two in my 75G Reef.. Diamond Goby, and Yellow Headed Sleeper Goby. I was just wondering, if I like them, do I just have to deal with sand being all over the rocks? Or is there something I am doing wrong, do I have the current too strong, too low? I was just wondering if this is as irritating to others as it is me. I find myself constantly squirting off the rock of sand. Just curious..

Tyler

[perky]

if it gets really bad, I would remove the sand, but if it just a small amount of grains, I would just leave it.

perky

[Is4U2NV]

Remove the sand from the tank, or off the rocks?! I'm not going for a BB, not my look. But if you mean on the rocks, I constantly have a small layer, not a few grains. Enough where it makes the coralline algea look grayish instead of purple.

Tyler

[perky]

Yeah, I ment from the rocks. But if it is that bad, why don't you designate an area of that tank for the gobies.

perky

[Is4U2NV]

How am I supposed to do that? Some electric Gobie(sp?) Collars?
LoL..
Tyler

[perky]

what I ment was, have an area with no rocks, but lots of sand so the goby can do its digging over there. Or, just put an electric goby colar on it so it stays in that area lol.

perky

[Is4U2NV]

Well.. The whole front of the tank is just sand.. The back and the corners have rock. Don't really know what to do. One Goby sits on the bottom and sifts sand. The other takes a huge mouthfull, and sprays it all over the tank. I have a rebel!

Tyler

[perky]

What I would do is the following:

1) Put more sand on the bottom so you have enough to cover the whole sandbed. Move all of the rocks to one side and leave a huge pile of sand in the "empty" corner.

2) Move him into a fuge, sump or quarantine for a week or two.

3) get rid of the goby all together.

Hope this helps

perky

[Is4U2NV]

1. I'm not exactly sure what putting more sand up on top of sand would do to help? Its already a DSB.
2. I dont think Gobies are intelligent enough to know that I punished him for putting sand everywhere. Unless.. I put him in there for 5 min timeout sessions after everytime he puts sand everywhere. :P
3. I think I'm going to throw him in the sandbox... He'll have fun there.

Thanks for trying to help, but.. I think I'm just stuck with sandy rocks.. Unless I get the heart to take him back.

Tyler

[Is4U2NV]

Oh, my girlfriend thinks I am being a big A-hole to you. I'm not, I'm just joking around. Don't take it as rude sarcasm.

Tyler

[perky]

thats fine. every girl has the right to their own oppinion right??? lol.

Move him to his own little tank that has lot of sand and a few rocks for hiding and he will be sweet.

perky

[sabalough]

your gobies are exhibiting their narural behavior. you can not stop them from diong what they are ment to do. you can, however get them to sift less. they sift sand for two reasons. the first is to find food. the second is to create a nice home. So start by feeding them well (a variety of small meaty frozen foods). To help them build a home you must have a good mix of grain sizes in your sand bed (fine sand al the way up to cc including lots of small-medium shell pices). They will never completly stop sand sifting if you want them to do that you beter find them another tank to live in.
Steve,

[Is4U2NV]

Oh no no. I dont want them to stop sifting sand. I love that about them! I just wondered if I had the flow too high by the sandbed and was experiencing something that most people don't while having gobies. But I guess sand everywhere just is part of the Goby experience. They alread have tons of little "homes" everywhere. Underneath about every piece of rock! I love those little guys.


Tyler

[skidmarks]

Maybe direct more flow at the rocks, so the sand can't build up there?

Then you may have a perpetual sandstorm in the tank.

[Is4U2NV]

And I dont know if its good for my SPS to have the strong direct flow from the powerheads right at them only 3-4inches away? Or is that alright?

Tyler

[Confooseld]

My beatiful maroon clown loves to flap her tail at the sand for a home I guess she's made a large valley behind a rock, and a constant sandstorm it is rather annoying but Haus is so pretty it doesn't matter