Diamond goby getting aggressive towards clowns.

[CarnageQp]

The tank is a 50 cube with lots of sand rock work. Prparameters aren't perfect but stable. Besides a bunch of LPS and a RBTA that's split twice, the goby and the the mocha storm Clowns are the only thing in the tank. They've been in there since May 2 with no issue. Now the goby is showing his mout off to both clown fish, but not biting. I've increased target feeding him but it hasn't helped.

 

[DinoMagnet]

How long has it been since you started target feeding more? Is he skinnier than when u first got him?

 

[Fish Think Pink]

The tank is a 50 cube with lots of sand rock work. Prparameters aren't perfect but stable. Besides a bunch of LPS and a RBTA that's split twice, the goby and the the mocha storm Clowns are the only thing in the tank. They've been in there since May 2 with no issue. Now the goby is showing his mout off to both clown fish, but not biting. I've increased target feeding him but it hasn't helped.

is that 50 gallons? Recently read in the wild, diamond watchman gobies maintain 36 square feet of bottom but I have found no scientific reference for this statistic - but does make me wonder if my 180 gallon will be too small for my new diamond watchman goby (in QT right now)

Is any food leftover after you feed? how many times day do you feed?

 

[CarnageQp]

How long has it been since you started target feeding more? Is he skinnier than when u first got him?

About 2 weeks

 

[CarnageQp]

is that 50 gallons? Recently read in the wild, diamond watchman gobies maintain 36 square feet of bottom but I have found no scientific reference for this statistic - but does make me wonder if my 180 gallon will be too small for my new diamond watchman goby (in QT right now)

Is any food leftover after you feed? how many times day do you feed?

He was fine for a several months before. I feed frozen cube at 6 and pellet food at 9 on weeknights.( I work 7-6) fri-sun 2 frozen cubes a day

 

[Fish Think Pink]

speculation -
1) hungry (@DinoMagnet asked if skinnier)
---- wants more food
2) territorial
---- defending from others
--------- conflicting info on 20 long or 30 gallons as minimum size
--------- 50 liters is only 13.2 gallons (less when rocks, etc added)

keep an eye on your goby. If he does seem to be getting thinner despite target feeding then perhaps look into an autofeeder to drop some pellets during day while you are at work

if it is territorial (not triggered by hunger) then likely there isn't anything you can do about it, but when you have a larger tank then it likely would prefer more space to call its own.

its important to note that even given species generalized preferences, its an individual fish. Just like 10 humans are different from 10 other humans, your fish may be different from other diamond watchman gobies.

Continue to observe and keep us posted. Wishing you and your fish the best!!

 

[CarnageQp]

speculation -
1) hungry (@DinoMagnet asked if skinnier)
---- wants more food
2) territorial
---- defending from others
--------- conflicting info on 20 long or 30 gallons as minimum size
--------- 50 liters is only 13.2 gallons (less when rocks, etc added)

keep an eye on your goby. If he does seem to be getting thinner despite target feeding then perhaps look into an autofeeder to drop some pellets during day while you are at work

if it is territorial (not triggered by hunger) then likely there isn't anything you can do about it, but when you have a larger tank then it likely would prefer more space to call its own.

its important to note that even given species generalized preferences, its an individual fish. Just like 10 humans are different from 10 other humans, your fish may be different from other diamond watchman gobies.

Continue to observe and keep us posted. Wishing you and your fish the best!!

Its 50 gallons, 24x24. I'd think they have enough space. I'll continue to target feed and drop an auto feeder over the goby.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Its 50 gallons, 24x24. I'd think they have enough space. I'll continue to target feed and drop an auto feeder over the goby.

I'd watch longer before deciding autofeeder, but that is just me

advantage of autofeeder is if you go away overnight trip. Disadvantage is malfunction and dump too much food and foul tank...

It might just be normal behavior for yours now that he has gotten comfortable in the tank. In the wild, they like 36 sq feet of sand (no scientific reference yet on this) so that is a MUCH bigger area than even most monster tanks are giving...

Observation can be fun. Watching my fish is a lot of why I love this hobby!

 

[DinoMagnet]

See if the additional feeding helps, fwiw sinking pellets wouldn’t be a bad idea. Good luck

 

[CarnageQp]

See if the additional feeding helps, fwiw sinking pellets wouldn’t be a bad idea. Good luck

I feed him sinking specifically. And frozen mysis

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I had a pair of Watchman Gobies along with the Shrimp. I was so proud when they Kicked my Skunk Clowns A** Little S*** had it coming to her. BTW She had already killed the Male. Terrorized my Purple Tang and Flame Angel. I couldn’t catch her, without tearing my 90 gallon down.

 

[Tamberav]

Maybe try bigger chunks of food? Mine grabs the big pieces out of LRS and oddly enough likes to also much on the nori I put in. He eats A LOTTTTTTT!

 

[melonheadorion]

i read something a while back that i live by now, when it comes to my diamond goby.
"its not that you were successfully able to keep a diamond goby for 6 months, but it took him 6 months to starve to death".
other than what he does on a daily basis, i make sure that i target feed him every day, to ensure that he has plenty to eat. the mysis and flake food, although he eats it, you can imagine that it probably isnt enough to sustain him over time, so to counter that, i target feed him as well, as mentioned