Diamond Goby - bad for tank?

[mechramc]

I have a diamond goby for a month now in a Waterbox 110. The tank is 3 months old and there is all sorts of algae and uglies. But the sand is pristine. At first, I was happy. But now, it seems unnatural and makes me wonder. Can it sustain itself with whatever I feed? On the other hand, is it wiping the sand of any beneficial stuff? I have been seeding with copepods every couple of weeks, as I want to get a mandarin goby at the six month mark. But this diamond goby has already grown to an inch and a half. Has anyone kept one for longer than a couple of years? Does the sand sifting cause any other issues to the tank?

 

[KrisReef]

They can move a lot of sand around and have some potential to irritate or bury coral with their sand sifting habits.

I don’t know if it could eat the pods fast enough to make a mandarin go hungry in a tank, but it seems like a possibility?

If you feed it often enough it might slow down with the sand mining.

 

[Troylee]

I have a pair and zero issues! I prefer them cause I’m lazy and don’t clean my sand lol..

 

[mechramc]

I have a pair and zero issues! I prefer them cause I’m lazy and don’t clean my sand lol..

How long have you had them?

 

[Troylee]

How long have you had them?

I had one for a couple years that passed and my new pair is about 6 months old.

 

[mechramc]

I had one for a couple years that passed and my new pair is about 6 months old.

Thanks! That makes me feel better. I was worried about it depleting all the good stuff from the sandbed.

 

[BasementBox]

I have one for a year now. He’s full size. He certainly has kept my sand clean. It’s a trade off. I can’t really keep sensitive coral on the sand because he regularly builds mountains but on the other hand he really does put the work in on the 125. He does eat pellets and foodstuffs when it gets down to him. Sometimes he will hit the water column if he’s hungry.

 

[mechramc]

I have one for a year now. He’s full size. He certainly has kept my sand clean. It’s a trade off. I can’t really keep sensitive coral on the sand because he regularly builds mountains but on the other hand he really does put the work in on the 125. He does eat pellets and foodstuffs when it gets down to him. Sometimes he will hit the water column if he’s hungry.

But have you seen any depletion of good bacteria in the sand leading to any other issues? Or depletion of pod populations? I agree, he has kept the 4 feet tank sand pristine so far. Which is kind of making me worried lol.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I have a pair and zero issues! I prefer them cause I’m lazy and don’t clean my sand lol..

Yeah I have one in my 90 gallon and he is my favorite fish in the tank! I love how he keeps the sand bed clean! Mine is going on 2 years now.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Had a yellow watchman goby (a little different than a diamond), never had issues with mine!

 

[BasementBox]

But have you seen any depletion of good bacteria in the sand leading to any other issues? Or depletion of pod populations? I agree, he has kept the 4 feet tank sand pristine so far. Which is kind of making me worried lol.

Can’t say I track those things. Not something I lose sleep over.

 

[Troylee]

But have you seen any depletion of good bacteria in the sand leading to any other issues? Or depletion of pod populations? I agree, he has kept the 4 feet tank sand pristine so far. Which is kind of making me worried lol.

They only dig deep where there burrow is.. the rest of the sand they just skim the top! Pods are not a problem neither is bacteria.

 

[MikeReefs]

These are problems I want to have lol. To me keeping sand clean is the hardest. The rock can always be grazed on by urchin tang foxface wrasse. Not many fish and cuc are able to clean sand the way a goby will

 

[X-37B]

Have had them in the past and they move alot of sand.
I have a pair, recommended, in my rs 170 of yellow headed sleeper gobys. They move the sand towards the glass and I keep moving it back. My flame back angel follows them around all day.
The sand is kept nice and clean
Dragon goby in my 50 dose the same.
Get a pair if you can.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Have had them in the past and they move alot of sand.
I have a pair, recommended, in my rs 170 of yellow headed sleeper gobys. They move the sand towards the glass and I keep moving it back. My flame back angel follows them around all day.
The sand is kept nice and clean
Dragon goby in my 50 dose the same.
Get a pair if you can.

Pretty fish! I have never seen them before.

 

[Troylee]

Have had them in the past and they move alot of sand.
I have a pair, recommended, in my rs 170 of yellow headed sleeper gobys. They move the sand towards the glass and I keep moving it back. My flame back angel follows them around all day.
The sand is kept nice and clean
Dragon goby in my 50 dose the same.
Get a pair if you can.

My yellow and blue star leopard wrasse are bffs with the diamond bars as is my copperband lol where ever they’re digging those 3 fish are eating!

 

[X-37B]

Pretty fish! I have never seen them before.

They are!

 

[Sophie"s mom]

They are!

is that a mated pair?

 

[X-37B]

is that a mated pair?

Yes

 

[X-37B]

Yes

There were 5 or 6 in a large lfs tank. I saw the 2 swimming together so I had the lfs remove the others then they caught the pair.