Pink Spotted Watchman Goby

vcyr

vcyr

AC Members
Feb 4, 2007
52
0
0
San Antonio, Texas
I was at my LFS today, just browsing when I saw the coolest fish. It was labeled "red spotted goby". I talked to the sales person about the fishes compatibility with other tank mates and he assured me that the goby would be fine. The other tank mates are 5 nassarius snails, and 5 red leg hermits.

After acclimating him and turning him loose, the first thing he did was gather up all of my snails and hermits and put them in a pile. :eek:

So I did a google image search and discovered that he is also known as a pink spotted WATCHMAN goby who likes to build there home with shells and rubble. Ironically, I had just read the blenny vs. goby post the other day. I even asked the sales person if this fish went by any other names.

If I give him some extra shells and rock rubble, is there a chance he will leave my hermits alone? Honestly, he can eat the snails if he would like, but I am quite find of the cleaning job my hermits do. If he does kill them for there shells, do you think larger hermits would be ok? Maybe a mean ol' blue leg crab?

And should I get him a pistol shrimp?

Tanks specs are;

30 gal tank
30 lbs of live rock
40 lbs sand bed
5 red leg hermits
5 nassarius snails
3 blue green chromis (soon to be traded for 1 maroon clown)
1 pink spotted watchman goby

Thanks
Verna
 
yes, i have a spotted watchman goby...They do need things for theit lair...more commonly, it is the usually the pistol shrimp which does the building though...But, to answer your question, yes, it is going to help if you put that in the tank for it..put it near it home and move the snails away from him, on the rock work...

It is more the pistol shrimp that may gor for small inverts for tehir shells..But yes, you gotta get a pistol, and hopefully, get the symbiotic relationship going...

Niko
 
he wont kill/eat the inverts. a pistol shrimp might, but the goby wont.
also, be careful when chooseing a pistol shrimp, much like clownfish/anem pairs, some pistol shrimp will not readily pair with your species of goby
 
Thanks for the info! I knew I could count on you guys!

Does he have to have a pistol shrimp? It sounds like that is where I start having problems? Can he be happy and healthy without one? In a tank my size, I would hate to add a shrimp he doesn't like, just to have to add another one.
 
yeah, they do fine on their own, but may pair up if you add the right species.
pistol shrimp are practicly blind, while gobies have very good eyesite, so when they go out in search of food, the shrimp will keep his antennae on the goby. when he feels the goby dart back in the hole, he knows it is his time to do so as well. really fun to watch!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom