Diamond Goby Help!

[brandong]

Hey everyone,
I really need some help — I’m starting to get genuinely worried about my Diamond Goby.

He’s been completely missing for 10 full days now. He used to sift sand all day and kept my substrate spotless, but I haven’t seen any movement, new mounds, or signs of him since he dug his tunnel.

This is a 30-gallon reef tank, over 2 months old, so it’s not like losing a goby in a 100-gallon system — I can see almost every inch of this tank, and there’s really nowhere for him to hide except under the main rockwork where he originally built his tunnels.

Tank details:
• 30-gallon reef (stable and cycled)
• Ammonia 0 / Nitrite 0 / Nitrate ~6.6 / Phosphate 0.20
• Alk 8.9 / Mag 1540 / Calcium high (recent molts)
• All other fish and corals healthy

Here’s what’s confusing me: my Firefish keeps going in and out of the goby’s old burrow constantly, even though that’s not where he sleeps. I’ve tried putting rubble in front of the entrance (leaving gaps for oxygen and flow), but he still manages to squeeze in.

I haven’t seen any new sand movement or tunnels from the goby at all. The burrow runs under the main rock and connects to another exit, but I don’t want to disturb it in case the goby’s still alive.

There’s been no ammonia spike this whole time, so part of me thinks he might still be deep under there — but I honestly don’t know. Could the Firefish hanging around and entering the burrow constantly be keeping the goby from coming out, or do you think it’s unrelated?

At what point should I assume the worst? I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Moving this to the main forum.

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

For any pet, sudden changes in behavior are a cause for concern. My YWG also recently started disappearing for long stretches, and when he first turned up after a long absence he looked like hell. I have my theory about what happened, but ultimately I’m not expecting him to make it, since I still can’t figure out where he’s going.

Have you tried collapsing all but one entrance to his burrow? You could see if there’s new activity there afterward.

 

[brandong]

For any pet, sudden changes in behavior are a cause for concern. My YWG also recently started disappearing for long stretches, and when he first turned up after a long absence he looked like hell. I have my theory about what happened, but ultimately I’m not expecting him to make it, since I still can’t figure out where he’s going.

Have you tried collapsing all but one entrance to his burrow? You could see if there’s new activity there afterward.

i haven’t thought about closing the burrows, i added him in, he made his tunnels for 2 days, then was never to be seen again

 

[SurfTrack]

Do you have a lid? If not, it may have jumped out. Check under any furniture/object nearby the tank (yes this happened to me). They can jump through even smallest unexposed holes in the lid.

Otherwise, I would turn off the return pump and any circulation pumps. Look for even the smallest movements of sand. Peek in every hole with a flashlight if you can.

Good luck! Hopefully it is hiding deep in a crevice!!

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

How long has he been missing?

Do you have any CUC that are scavengers? If he died in a burrow bumblebee or nassarius snails could have eaten it before it had a chance to decompose.

Have you tried spot feeding it near the entrance to his tunnel?

 

[SurfTrack]

When your goby did come out, were you ever able to feed it pellets, flakes, or frozen food? Or did its main source of food come from sifting the sand? Because your tank is relatively new, your sand bed may not have enough life/nutrients to fully support the goby.

I've had a few gobies over the years -- and in my experience, they can only survive if they are fed a supplemental diet or if they have a really bioactive sand bed.

 

[Freenow54]

Hey everyone,
I really need some help — I’m starting to get genuinely worried about my Diamond Goby.

He’s been completely missing for 10 full days now. He used to sift sand all day and kept my substrate spotless, but I haven’t seen any movement, new mounds, or signs of him since he dug his tunnel.

This is a 30-gallon reef tank, over 2 months old, so it’s not like losing a goby in a 100-gallon system — I can see almost every inch of this tank, and there’s really nowhere for him to hide except under the main rockwork where he originally built his tunnels.

Tank details:
• 30-gallon reef (stable and cycled)
• Ammonia 0 / Nitrite 0 / Nitrate ~6.6 / Phosphate 0.20
• Alk 8.9 / Mag 1540 / Calcium high (recent molts)
• All other fish and corals healthy

Here’s what’s confusing me: my Firefish keeps going in and out of the goby’s old burrow constantly, even though that’s not where he sleeps. I’ve tried putting rubble in front of the entrance (leaving gaps for oxygen and flow), but he still manages to squeeze in.

I haven’t seen any new sand movement or tunnels from the goby at all. The burrow runs under the main rock and connects to another exit, but I don’t want to disturb it in case the goby’s still alive.

There’s been no ammonia spike this whole time, so part of me thinks he might still be deep under there — but I honestly don’t know. Could the Firefish hanging around and entering the burrow constantly be keeping the goby from coming out, or do you think it’s unrelated?

At what point should I assume the worst? I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences

Mine was " lost " for a week and a half. Then there it was. It happened again a few weeks later this time I found its body out of the tank , chased by my 64e6567655&&& Tang

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

They are gobies and they are doing what they naturally do which is hide in a cave under a rock, they are very timid and don't like to be out in the open all the time. Like you said, there is not an inch of the tank you can't see, that's not an ideal environment for these types of fish and they might be stressed. IMO maybe add a few rocks around that little cave to make it more seclusive for them.

 

[brandong]

They are gobies and they are doing what they naturally do which is hide in a cave under a rock, they are very timid and don't like to be out in the open all the time. Like you said, there is not an inch of the tank you can't see, that's not an ideal environment for these types of fish and they might be stressed. IMO maybe add a few rocks around that little cave to make it more seclusive for them.

I will try to add some more rubble/small rocks around his cave

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey everyone,
I really need some help — I’m starting to get genuinely worried about my Diamond Goby.

He’s been completely missing for 10 full days now. He used to sift sand all day and kept my substrate spotless, but I haven’t seen any movement, new mounds, or signs of him since he dug his tunnel.

This is a 30-gallon reef tank, over 2 months old, so it’s not like losing a goby in a 100-gallon system — I can see almost every inch of this tank, and there’s really nowhere for him to hide except under the main rockwork where he originally built his tunnels.

Tank details:
• 30-gallon reef (stable and cycled)
• Ammonia 0 / Nitrite 0 / Nitrate ~6.6 / Phosphate 0.20
• Alk 8.9 / Mag 1540 / Calcium high (recent molts)
• All other fish and corals healthy

Here’s what’s confusing me: my Firefish keeps going in and out of the goby’s old burrow constantly, even though that’s not where he sleeps. I’ve tried putting rubble in front of the entrance (leaving gaps for oxygen and flow), but he still manages to squeeze in.

I haven’t seen any new sand movement or tunnels from the goby at all. The burrow runs under the main rock and connects to another exit, but I don’t want to disturb it in case the goby’s still alive.

There’s been no ammonia spike this whole time, so part of me thinks he might still be deep under there — but I honestly don’t know. Could the Firefish hanging around and entering the burrow constantly be keeping the goby from coming out, or do you think it’s unrelated?

At what point should I assume the worst? I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences

I have seen these fish and reappear. Prior to vaishing, was it breathing normal or labored?
Have you checked overflow box if it applies?
Also, they are known to jump and can be under the stand or as much as 4 feet away, hopefully not the case.. You may have to resort to moving some rock to get to it if it is within rocks

 

[brandong]

Hey everyone,
I really need some help — I’m starting to get genuinely worried about my Diamond Goby.

He’s been completely missing for 10 full days now. He used to sift sand all day and kept my substrate spotless, but I haven’t seen any movement, new mounds, or signs of him since he dug his tunnel.

This is a 30-gallon reef tank, over 2 months old, so it’s not like losing a goby in a 100-gallon system — I can see almost every inch of this tank, and there’s really nowhere for him to hide except under the main rockwork where he originally built his tunnels.

Tank details:
• 30-gallon reef (stable and cycled)
• Ammonia 0 / Nitrite 0 / Nitrate ~6.6 / Phosphate 0.20
• Alk 8.9 / Mag 1540 / Calcium high (recent molts)
• All other fish and corals healthy

Here’s what’s confusing me: my Firefish keeps going in and out of the goby’s old burrow constantly, even though that’s not where he sleeps. I’ve tried putting rubble in front of the entrance (leaving gaps for oxygen and flow), but he still manages to squeeze in.

I haven’t seen any new sand movement or tunnels from the goby at all. The burrow runs under the main rock and connects to another exit, but I don’t want to disturb it in case the goby’s still alive.

There’s been no ammonia spike this whole time, so part of me thinks he might still be deep under there — but I honestly don’t know. Could the Firefish hanging around and entering the burrow constantly be keeping the goby from coming out, or do you think it’s unrelated?

At what point should I assume the worst? I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences

I have seen these fish and reappear. Prior to vaishing, was it breathing normal or labored?
Have you checked overflow box if it applies?
Also, they are known to jump and can be under the stand or as much as 4 feet away, hopefully not the case.. You may have to resort to moving some rock to get to it if it is within rocks

Pretty simple tank, I have looked all around the tank every day, nothing to be found. I’ll keep my eyes peeled, Hopefully he turns up soon!

 

[TheNative192]

I will try to add some more rubble/small rocks around his cave

I have seen a lot of posts about the diamond goby like this where he disappears and then reappears 2-3 weeks later. They just do that. Mine has like 7-8 entrances to his little cave system under my main rock and then decided to make a small cave system under one of the smaller rocks which faces the back wall. He went there for a week, did not see him and then decided to move back to the main rock. I would not panic. If you do not have a lid then he probably jumped, but if you do then he is probably just messing with you chilling in his cave.

Also if you only have had the tank for two months that usually is not long enough to grow the sand bed for them to be able to survive on the sand alone. Make sure to feed him as well.

 

[brandong]

Do you have a lid? If not, it may have jumped out. Check under any furniture/object nearby the tank (yes this happened to me). They can jump through even smallest unexposed holes in the lid.

Otherwise, I would turn off the return pump and any circulation pumps. Look for even the smallest movements of sand. Peek in every hole with a flashlight if you can.

Good luck! Hopefully it is hiding deep in a crevice!!

yeah, I have a lid, it’s very empty around the tank so I would have see if he squeezed through a crack, I also hope he turns up, thanks for the help!

 

[brandong]

How long has he been missing?

Do you have any CUC that are scavengers? If he died in a burrow bumblebee or nassarius snails could have eaten it before it had a chance to decompose.

Have you tried spot feeding it near the entrance to his tunnel?

yeah, I try that every day, I also only have some hermits, which keep a close eye on, and 3 zombie snails which are too big to fit into his cave

 

[TheNative192]

yeah, I have a lid, it’s very empty around the tank so I would have see if he squeezed through a crack, I also hope he turns up, thanks for the help!

If you put sand in front of the entrances of the burrows they can get out. Believe me, I do it all the time by accident when cleaning the tank & 5 minutes later I just see sand spitting out from the cave so if you are really worried you could do that. That being said, he may be just eating sand under the rock or designing his pad.

yeah, I try that every day, I also only have some hermits, which keep a close eye on, and 3 zombie snails which are too big to fit into his cave

Just make sure none of the nassarius snails are welks as they could kill a diamond goby and other small fish.

 

[brandong]

When your goby did come out, were you ever able to feed it pellets, flakes, or frozen food? Or did its main source of food come from sifting the sand? Because your tank is relatively new, your sand bed may not have enough life/nutrients to fully support the goby.

I've had a few gobies over the years -- and in my experience, they can only survive if they are fed a supplemental diet or if they have a really bioactive sand bed.

I have been spitting food into what I think is his main burrow, or what used to be at least, but the blenny and firefis have been going in and out of that hole

 

[TheNative192]

I have been spitting food into what I think is his main burrow, or what used to be at least, but the blenny and firefis have been going in and out of that hole

Feature	Whelk	Nassarius Snails
Size	Larger, with shells reaching up to 10 cm (4 inches) or more	Smaller, typically around 1-2.5 cm (0.5-1 inch)
Diet	Carnivorous (e.g., lightning whelks eat bivalves)	Scavengers and detritivores
Shell	Heavy, conical shape with a pointed tip and wavy lines	Oval-spiral shape with a pointed tip
Physical Appearance	Mottled or "tattooed" snout; has an operculum or "foot cover" for sealing the shell	Has a snorkel-like siphon for breathing and searching for food, They can have operculum too
Movement	Moves slowly, sometimes appearing to "bounce" along the substrate	Glides quickly across sand using a large foot

 

[paulroberts1975]

I was sold one of these from a local fish shop. He was sold as a diamond shrimp goby. I got him to replace my hi fin goby that jumped out and died in her hope he will pair with my pistol shrimp. They aren’t really a pair but they share a burrow. When I realised what he was I knew my 15 gallon tank was too small but he wasn’t going back to the shop. Anyways I read in the wild they have something like 12ft square of territory that they sift sand in. So quickly realised he needed extra food so he gets fine chopped up shrimp. Mysis shrimp and he also takes crab pellets. He’s fat and eats a lot but he will get a bigger tank eventually. Hope yours turns up. But generally do need extra food. The lfs had him in a gravel bottom sink so he couldn’t even do What he’s supposed to do. Soft sand. Which is why he stayed with me. I find him intriguing.