Sleeper banded or hectors goby? Anyone have experience?

[mta_morrow]

I am considering a sleeper banded or hectors goby for some general sand cleaning and hair algae maintenance.

I don’t have a hair algae problem, but I have some here and there.

If you have had either one of these, I would like to hear about your experience.

Thanks

 

[Katrina71]

Wait until Thursday...I might be able to help ya out. I have a friend that loves the banded.

 

[mta_morrow]

Wait until Thursday...I might be able to help ya out. I have a friend that loves the banded.

Thanks so much!

I appreciate it.

 

[Katrina71]

Thanks so much!

I appreciate it.

She is a marine biologist. I trust her judgement. BTW, I'm getting a tiny breed of pistol shrimp to pair with mine. Not destructive.

 

[tdileo]

Sleeper goby is a better bet for a sand sifter. The hector’s are beautiful, but mostly just hang out near a cave. Neither of them will do much, if anything, to hair algae.

 

[JaaxReef]

I am considering a sleeper banded or hectors goby for some general sand cleaning and hair algae maintenance.

I don’t have a hair algae problem, but I have some here and there.

If you have had either one of these, I would like to hear about your experience.

Thanks

I got a Brown Barred Goby recently if that is what you mean by Banded. It has been a fantastic sand sifter and relatively clean. Releases the sand only 2-5 inches off the bottom. Haven’t had problems with corals being buried. Eats filamentous algae too! I would highly recommend it! Pretty fish with the blue on its head!

 

[mta_morrow]

I got a Brown Barred Goby recently if that is what you mean by Banded. It has been a fantastic sand sifter and relatively clean. Releases the sand only 2-5 inches off the bottom. Haven’t had problems with corals being buried. Eats filamentous algae too! I would highly recommend it! Pretty fish with the blue on its head!

Thanks very much for the reply and pics. That’s what I was hoping to hear. And I like the looks of the fish as well!

 

[mta_morrow]

She is a marine biologist. I trust her judgement. BTW, I'm getting a tiny breed of pistol shrimp to pair with mine. Not destructive.

Nice! I have 2 small candy cane pistol which came in at 1/2”. I hear them, but haven’t seen them since they were introduced.

I had a tiger pistol in my last tank and ended up removing it and rehoming it as it moved way to much sand

 

[mta_morrow]

Sleeper goby is a better bet for a sand sifter. The hector’s are beautiful, but mostly just hang out near a cave. Neither of them will do much, if anything, to hair algae.

I don’t really need a sand sifter. Have you had these in your tank before?

 

[JaaxReef]

I don’t really need a sand sifter. Have you had these in your tank before?

The Goby I have Amblygobius phalaena is not nearly as unruly with the sand as other common species for the purpose. He does seem to pick at the rocks more for algae, yet still accepts meaty foods too.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Both behavior is similar, but the hectori does it on a much smaller scale. So it really depends on tank size and your preference regarding their appearance.

They both readily eat hair algae. The A. phalaena sifts better.

 

[mta_morrow]

Both behavior is similar, but the hectori does it on a much smaller scale. So it really depends on tank size and your preference regarding their appearance.

They both readily eat hair algae. The A. phalaena sifts better.

Thank you!