What the heck is up with my Engineer Gobies?

[Cavalina]

Hi Guys,

I've had this pair of Engineer Gobies for roughly seven years. They have been peaceful, often times comical, members of the tank over the years, and they have mostly kept to themselves, preferring to hide in the live rock and substrate. But... about two or three weeks ago, their behavior started to change. Now they spend 90% of their time in the front of the tank, completely out in the open. They are still completely non-aggressive, and seem perfectly healthy, but it is a strange change.

Has this happened to anyone else? Are they just getting senile in their goby old age?

 

[Cavalina]

^^^^ bump ^^^^

 

[BostonReefer300]

The same thing happened to me very recently! I used to have two, but one died a year ago. The other is now 7 just like yours and he's started doing the same thing. It's like he suddenly decided that he'd had enough of being a hermit and now he's out on the town all the time. The only thing I can think of is that my diamond watchman gobies keep evicting him from whatever cave he makes for himself, but I don't think that's it. He just seems like he's not shy anymore---after 7 years