Fish ID

[pr_diver]

Bought this as a diamond goby, wasn't paying a ton of attention as my focus was on corals. But as I look at it it looks more like a Blue Spotted Watchman. Any ideas? Hea maybe only an inch he's small right now.

Excuse the brown/green spots those aren't on him it's the glass. Tank is dirty.

 

[MERKEY]

Yes looks more like a blue spot. Sorry they mixed it up on you.

 

[pr_diver]

Yes looks more like a blue spot. Sorry they mixed it up on you.

That's what I thought I appreciate it. I'll give them a ring in the morning.

 

[pr_diver]

I guess before I bi**h to much, I wasn't set on a Diamond Goby I just wanted a sand sifting goby to help with some work around the tank. The more I read, the more I'm wondering if I should keep him where he is as I'm seeing they are sand sifting. Am I correct in this assumption?

 

[MERKEY]

It will sift the sand yes.

They don't get as large as the diamond tho.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Bought this as a diamond goby, wasn't paying a ton of attention as my focus was on corals. But as I look at it it looks more like a Blue Spotted Watchman. Any ideas? Hea maybe only an inch he's small right now.

Excuse the brown/green spots those aren't on him it's the glass. Tank is dirty.

Bluespotted Watchman Goby and a very hardy species and loves meaty foods

 

[i cant think]

Bought this as a diamond goby, wasn't paying a ton of attention as my focus was on corals. But as I look at it it looks more like a Blue Spotted Watchman. Any ideas? Hea maybe only an inch he's small right now.

Excuse the brown/green spots those aren't on him it's the glass. Tank is dirty.

This isn’t a ‘Bluespotted Watchman Goby’ the dorsal fin has the wrong pattern on it. And no they don’t sift sand, they build caves out of it. Sand sifters are very different to these guys, I have an entire article on the differences between ‘Sand sifters’ and what I call ‘Sand dwellers’.
This specimen however, is the ‘Grey Watchman Goby’ which is still the true Cryptocentrus cinctus however there’s a phenomenon that causes some of this species to go Grey and it’s unknown what causes it.

 

[52728299]

This isn’t a ‘Bluespotted Watchman Goby’ the dorsal fin has the wrong pattern on it. And no they don’t sift sand, they build caves out of it. Sand sifters are very different to these guys, I have an entire article on the differences between ‘Sand sifters’ and what I call ‘Sand dwellers’.
This specimen however, is the ‘Grey Watchman Goby’ which is still the true Cryptocentrus cinctus however there’s a phenomenon that causes some of this species to go Grey and it’s unknown what causes it.

Off topic, I have a dottyback that made a cave digging in the sand. Had no idea they did this.

 

[pr_diver]

This isn’t a ‘Bluespotted Watchman Goby’ the dorsal fin has the wrong pattern on it. And no they don’t sift sand, they build caves out of it. Sand sifters are very different to these guys, I have an entire article on the differences between ‘Sand sifters’ and what I call ‘Sand dwellers’.
This specimen however, is the ‘Grey Watchman Goby’ which is still the true Cryptocentrus cinctus however there’s a phenomenon that causes some of this species to go Grey and it’s unknown what causes it.

Interesting!

At first I told the guy at the LFS that I wanted a goby I was looking at the YWG and I've always loved them. Anyways at first when I pointed at "my" goby I said is this a female YWG? Thinking it had changed its coloration as it seemed to be paired with a fat healthy YWG in the tank.

I'm still debating on returning it or not. I love YWG, I just wanted a true sand sifter as my diatom outbreak has been getting a bit out of hand in the sand.

 

[i cant think]

Interesting!

At first I told the guy at the LFS that I wanted a goby I was looking at the YWG and I've always loved them. Anyways at first when I pointed at "my" goby I said is this a female YWG? Thinking it had changed its coloration as it seemed to be paired with a fat healthy YWG in the tank.

I'm still debating on returning it or not. I love YWG, I just wanted a true sand sifter as my diatom outbreak has been getting a bit out of hand in the sand.

I wish I could say it was due to gender that these guys change colour however, there are mature breeding pairs of greys and yellows so it’s nothing to do with their sex or being an ‘alpha’ female.

As for the sand sifter, what size is your tank? And do you have a photo of your sand bed?

 

[pr_diver]

Wondering if I should just say screw it and go buy the pair he was bonded with today instead of taking him back add another one right! lol

 

[i cant think]

Wondering if I should just say screw it and go buy the pair he was bonded with today instead of taking him back add another one right! lol

Are you sure they were a pair?
Some gobies just huddle together for safety and when they’re aware they’re safe they then tend to fight until you have to remove one.
The other thing is now that your current one is established (or establishing) it’s unlikely he will accept a second even if they were originally paired.

 

[52728299]

You could get him a little shrimp friend

 

[pr_diver]

I have pistol shrimp in the aquarium currently. So we will be sticking with just him. Excited to say atleast! New fishy, anyways fed this morning no interest in pellet foods, which is ok. Gave him a mixture of my custom food of mysis, egg roe and spirulina and he devoured it.

 

[52728299]

I say keep the fish and get some extra snails:)

 

[nereefpat]

Definitely a watchman goby of some sort, and definitely not a diamond (please don't call them watchmen, because they aren't) goby.

 

[pr_diver]

Well my LFS hooked it up with a free Diamond from his new employees mistake. I spend A LOT of money there so it's even ;).

But these two have paired beautifully over the last week in a weird way. I have Caribbean Pistols in there own rock and debated getting a pistol shrimp that would pair with the watchman but I don't think there is a need now, lol. The diamond acts as the digger and cleaner and snatches food as the watchman does exactly that watches as soon as he's altered the two of them run to there many caves.