Sand Sifting Gobies: Are they worth keeping? Your Favorite?

[Koty]

Gobies are great for sifting sand, but if you have a certain sand scape in mind the goby will definitely change it, sometimes they will try to cover corals with sand as well, and they are known for jumping, take it from someone who knows, I have gone through (no exaggeration) at least 35-40 gobies in my reefing history and most were from jumping and the others have been from going into an anemone just out of pure curiosity, it got so bad that the local fish store owner felt so bad for me that he would give me free ones for a while, just to see how long they lasted, this was also with a mesh cover on the tank but since it was a nano with a rounded front couldn't get it completely covered, but they always found a way out, my opinion not the smartest fish. But what a sifter!

After few jumps did it crossed your mind that sand in a nano does not sustain his requirement for food in the sand?

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I’m a YES! No need to vacuum sandbed when you have one of these amazing fish. Just bought one today for that very reason. A Diamond Goby. I don’t have a lot of sand but enough for him to keep busy.

 

[JaimeAdams]

Sand? Corals don't grow on sand. Those sandbags are just wasted space that could be covered with coral

 

[dbati]

I have this little guy. I think it’s a pale blue spot goby. EXTREMELY active always swimming everywhere. On the rocks up the glass. Sifting the sand all day and creating burrows under the rock work.

 

[Leon821019218]

I have a soft spot for sand sifting fish. Don't have one in my tank but now. When I had fresh water cichlids I also kept species like Lethrinops sp. red cap and albus kande, Geophagus Tapajos and Taeniolethrinops furcicauda. Beautiful animals and the constant sifting through the substrate is so cool to watch... So yeah, def not against it Writing this I think in the near future there probably will be one in my tank

 

[jbaird]

We have a banded goby. Love this fish. He is full of personality and he is constantly moving sand around. Great for shifting sand. But he also makes a sand blizzard in the tank constantly. Sometimes I push all the sand back into his hidey hole, Just to tick him off. It will keep him busy for a day or two moving sand around again.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Someone posted this video on YouTube and I think that it is hilarious and shows that these little fish are absolutely worth keeping.

Best video I've seen in a long time, lol!

 

[adromero]

Don't forget Rainsford's they sift sand and they are incredibly cute.

Always keep a Rainford's. In one of my tanks the Rainford's actually swam with my tailspot blenny.

 

[SimplyFishy]

I selected other as some thought needs to go into the decision to purchase a SSG - just got a Dragonface for our 125g that has a fair number of larger Herbivores. Here is where I say YES - ol'Choppa likes his nori as well. Gets right in there with the Foxface and Midas Blenny (clip right near her barnacle). They take turns and there is no crazy frenzy other than when Rapunzel Blenny is on the move with her shimmy swim. Now the Goby still sifts and is not a huge 'rise and churn' kind'a guy but I did have to move an elegance that was getting peppered daily.

Long and short of it, make it a good size tank, minimum and there needs to be room for them to roam and sift. As well, ours has supplemented his diet by adding weed feedings (daily). He has grown a belly within 8 weeks and they are pretty smart. He watched the others working the clip and decided to give it a try. Now he has a well-rounded diet as he chases Pods, as well as eating the occasional worm. He bypasses sifting mode and passes it through internally.

The 'Not Sure' side for me is too small of a tank, not enough detritus being generated and 'trying to keep one going' when it is an exercise in futility. Love biocubes, but they are not right for these guys as there are plenty of other CUC members that can help while not spreading sand over limited real estate. Possibly a smaller species but I have an aversion to shortening any reef animals' lives - includes corals for sure!

 

[cleaner_shrimp]

I like gobies

 

[bestfishes]

I have a carpet anemone so I must have a sandbed. For me, its +1 on a diamondback. I have a hood and use screen tucked under some glass cover to cover the back so that he cant jump out. If I had an open top I would not try it. Someone asked earlier, will they eat what you feed or just whats in the sand? Mine will come out to feed just like the clownfish do, so he is eating what I put in.

 

[Dr. Jim]

Here is my Sleeper Banded Goby, or Banded Bullet Goby (Amblygobius phalaena). He is a great little fish but a pig at feeding time! In the video, I'm just feeding flakes but when I feed frozen foods, he really gulps them down. This should be evident by looking at his belly!

 

[Ro Bow]

This week were going to be focusing on Gobies and Blennies! Today I wanted to start us off by beginning a discussion on Sand Sifting Gobies.

Sand Sifting Gobies plow through the tank substrate, sifting/straining algae, detritus and uneaten food from the sand. This not only removes unwanted nitrate producing substances, but it also stirs and aerates the substrate (very important for deep sand beds), releasing toxic gases - TheSprucePets

1. What's your experience with sand sifting gobies? (pros and cons)

2. What are your most favorite sand sifting gobies?

Yellow Watchman Goby image via @rboutin111

I had 1. It was great and all, amazing personality, but she was so aggressive to sand (not inhabitants) - and made sand "hurricanes". The sand flew around the tank and when it settled down it did so on corals, irritating them. I then had to blow off the sand irritating the corals more so. Still tbh the fish was still worth it. (Diamond goby)

 

[BrandonS]

I had one and really liked the little guy. Kept the sand very clean. When the wife decided she liked scoly's He had to go. Dropped sand all over them and they can't move sand off them very well. I use fighting conch's now.

 

[Rawsreef]

I’m actually thinking of getting a YWG and shrimp pair for my nano tank. Does anyone know if the YWG will get too large for a 10G cube?

 

[Cole.mormon]

I've had a diamond watchman goby for 1+ years and its ok, just really timid

 

[Cole.mormon]

I’m actually thinking of getting a YWG and shrimp pair for my nano tank. Does anyone know if the YWG will get too large for a 10G cube?

definitely

 

[Naso110]

Yes some can be very messy, like the YWG & tiger pistol shrimp; mine got so big they now live in the LFS display tank.
I do have 2 pairs of Yasha Gobies/Randalls pistol pairs but I wouldn't consider them sand sifting even though they burrow. My twin spot signal goby is the perfect sand sifter-moves the sand but doesn't really throw alot. But they can be hard to keep if you don't have a mature sandbed. Mine also eats frozen.

Amazing. Hands down on of my top 5 favorite fish. Could never get them into prepared food. Have tried a few pairs over the last 25 yrs. Any tips would be great.

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I voted no, I would have to add sand.

 

[i cant think]

I have this little guy. I think it’s a pale blue spot goby. EXTREMELY active always swimming everywhere. On the rocks up the glass. Sifting the sand all day and creating burrows under the rock work.

That is a blue spot goby yes. However not a pale specimen! In fact it’s just not under the right light.