Engineer Goby Release or bring to the store?

[Yourlocalreefer]

Hello everyone, I recently got a free 9-inch engineer goby that looks amazing for free while buying a tank breakdown. I was researching online for information but couldn't find anything. The current stockings I have are Gem Tang (1), Yellow Tang (1), Tomini Tang (1), Blue Tangs (2), Purple Tang (1), Australian Stripey (1), Maroon Clown (2), Yellow Tail Damsel (1), Mandarin goby (1), lawnmower blenny (1), and a cleaner wrasse (1). So far no aggression with the current fish just worried about trying to add a new one. I have a feeling I know the answer, but I would rather ask than do something I would regret. Tank is fed nori, romaine lettuce, mysis cube, and brime cubes. Image of the tank below:

Tank Size is a 200-gallon bear bottom lagoon plumed into a bigger system. Thanks in advance happy reefing!

Currently sitting in an acclimation box, being fed pellets, adult mysis, and brime.

 

[KrisReef]

I don’t think I have heard any aggressive complaints about the engineer goby. I do think that they like to engineer the sand in a tank so I am not sure what it might do in a bare bottom tank? It might keep looking for some substrate to work on or bury itself in?

Do you have a refugium with sand?

Otherwise back to the LFS for credit or into a buddy’s reef?

 

[Paul B]

He will eat your smaller fish at night. I have a lot of experience with them and at that size, I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him and I just had a shoulder replacement so I can't throw to far.

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

I don’t think I have heard any aggressive complaints about the engineer goby. I do think that they like to engineer the sand in a tank so I am not sure what it might do in a bare bottom tank? It might keep looking for some substrate to work on or bury itself in?

Do you have a refugium with sand?

Otherwise back to the LFS for credit or into a buddy’s reef?

I agree that's one of the reasons I was hesitant. I also have a 220G with a diamond goby pair and lots of sand. But there's chromis there, so I'm not sure if it will get along with everything or everything will get along with it.

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

He will eat your smaller fish at night. I have a lot of experience with them and at that size, I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him and I just had a shoulder replacement so I can't throw to far.

Oh wow, are they that bad I've been reading everywhere that they are more peaceful and would only eat it if it fits in their mouths.

 

[KrisReef]

Oh wow, are they that bad I've been reading everywhere that they are more peaceful and would only eat it if it fits in their mouths.

I think I would take Pauls advice more than mine. He may be injured by he can still throw me farther than I like.

 

[littlefoxx]

Hello everyone, I recently got a free 9-inch engineer goby that looks amazing for free while buying a tank breakdown. I was researching online for information but couldn't find anything. The current stockings I have are Gem Tang (1), Yellow Tang (1), Tomini Tang (1), Blue Tangs (2), Purple Tang (1), Australian Stripey (1), Maroon Clown (2), Yellow Tail Damsel (1), Mandarin goby (1), lawnmower blenny (1), and a cleaner wrasse (1). So far no aggression with the current fish just worried about trying to add a new one. I have a feeling I know the answer, but I would rather ask than do something I would regret. Tank is fed nori, romaine lettuce, mysis cube, and brime cubes. Image of the tank below:

Tank Size is a 200-gallon bear bottom lagoon plumed into a bigger system. Thanks in advance happy reefing!

Currently sitting in an acclimation box, being fed pellets, adult mysis, and brime.

Give to LFS. I love these guys, I have a 10 inch one named Squirt! Best fish ever. However they need a lot of sand to burrow in and dig, your bare bottom wouldnt be good for him

 

[littlefoxx]

He will eat your smaller fish at night. I have a lot of experience with them and at that size, I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him and I just had a shoulder replacement so I can't throw to far.

Whaaaa mine is so sweet! Got lots of smaller fish with her and shes afraid of them! Especially the chromis!!

 

[KrisReef]

Whaaaa mine is so sweet! Got lots of smaller fish with her and shes afraid of them! Especially the chromis!!

Paul doesnt feed his fish anything except pellets so they like to eat his fish?
I had not heard of them being fish eaters but it makes sense they would in the wild. Anything that can be swallowed!
Edit

I had a large one years ago, I don't think it ate anything but I didn't keep damsels or clowns then either?

 

[Firekiller468]

Hello everyone, I recently got a free 9-inch engineer goby that looks amazing for free while buying a tank breakdown. I was researching online for information but couldn't find anything. The current stockings I have are Gem Tang (1), Yellow Tang (1), Tomini Tang (1), Blue Tangs (2), Purple Tang (1), Australian Stripey (1), Maroon Clown (2), Yellow Tail Damsel (1), Mandarin goby (1), lawnmower blenny (1), and a cleaner wrasse (1). So far no aggression with the current fish just worried about trying to add a new one. I have a feeling I know the answer, but I would rather ask than do something I would regret. Tank is fed nori, romaine lettuce, mysis cube, and brime cubes. Image of the tank below:

Tank Size is a 200-gallon bear bottom lagoon plumed into a bigger system. Thanks in advance happy reefing!

Currently sitting in an acclimation box, being fed pellets, adult mysis, and brime.

Bare bottom tank he might not like. I have a pair in a 210 with Tangs and others. They like to borrow under rock and move sand over for their habitat

 

[albano]

Give to LFS…
However they need a lot of sand to burrow in and dig, your bare bottom wouldnt be good for him

+1

 

[littlefoxx]

My girl Squirt likes her cave and has thrown sand all over the base rock under it. She also throws small frag plugs around and killed a few corals doing that

 

[Paul B]

more peaceful and would only eat it if it fits in their mouths.

Everybody thinks that. But at night, if you could fit in their mouth, they would eat you. They also make tunnels all over the place and your rocks fall down. Sneaky little buggers.

 

[albano]

They also make tunnels all over the place and your rocks fall down. Sneaky little buggers.

That’s the more dangerous problem… “people (fish) that live in glass houses, shouldn’t throw rocks “

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

Update- I’ve decided to give him up to the Lfs I rather it go to someone who has a big sand bed instead of my bear bottom and worried he might eat my fish.

 

[LadAShark]

When in doubt, with literally any fish, if it fits in their mouth and is edible (and sometimes even inedible), it's going in if they find it palatable.

My foxface, for example, has demolished my micro brittle star population, despite being well fed.

Herbivore, omnivore, detritivore, plantonivore, etc.: if the adjective is not preceded by "obligate," or they are not specified to be an extreme specialist, their diet will vary. Even land herbivores we commonly consider fuzzy and cute won't hesitate if they can make an easy meal out of another animal, dead or alive.

It's all a matter of convenience and taste. Animals will pursue eating whatever they find convenient/"tasty" enough. And some level of instinct means no matter what you do, some species will be more likely to find certain other species very tasty or convenient.

 

[LadAShark]

Everybody thinks that. But at night, if you could fit in their mouth, they would eat you. They also make tunnels all over the place and your rocks fall down. Sneaky little buggers.

That’s the more dangerous problem… “people (fish) that live in glass houses, shouldn’t throw rocks “

You'd think they'd have the foresight to maintain their living environment; how shortsighted