Yellow Watchman Goby swimming at the surface. Normal?

Hemlawk · Jan 1, 2018

I just added it yesterday to my 150g (60x24x24). It alternates from laying on the sandbed to swimming near the surface, fighting the Gyre current. He's the only goby in the tank, no pistol shrimp yet.
Also, he's not shy at all. Hangs near the glass. If I put my hand in the tank, he doesnt hide.
Normal behavior?

eatbreakfast · Jan 1, 2018

Not normal. He should almost entirely be at the sand bed, maybe coming up a few inches if it's anticipating food, but otherwise not leaving the sand.

What are the other tankmates? Can you post a pic of him in the water column.

Sierra_Bravo · Jan 1, 2018

Mine will do this occasionally. By occasionally I mean I've caught him doing this maybe 5-6 times in the 7 mos he's been in the tank. He'll take a brief swim in the water column and seems to be swimming with and against the current freely. I've even caught him once perched up on the gyre support (behind, not in the flow). When he's done he'll shoot back down to his hole in the sandbed. Whether this is normal or not he's done it without showing any signs of distress while doing so and seems to be able to go and return with ease.

Other than those few times he'll do as eatbreakfast mentioned and only venture out 6" or so in any direction from his home. Mine is paired with a pistol shrimp.

Hemlawk · Jan 1, 2018

All The fish got added 2 days ago after a 2+ month fallow period. You can see him on the lower right.

*K&AreeFers* · Jan 1, 2018

Mine will do this as well from time to time. He has been in the tank for 3 years now and will do some thing like you said 1 or 2 times a year and will then end up back in the rockwork or the sand bed. If it is new to the tank it may just be tring to find out where it fits in and may be being chaced by other fish. ( mine and my tang have had this problem for years)

Ross Petersen · Dec 14, 2020

Old thread here... I've found my yellow watchman goby goes swimming whenever I dose a healthy amount of nitrifying bacteria into the tank. I think it can be a stress response.

cmustang · Sep 2, 2021

Hello, I didn’t see my yellow watchman goby for a few days, and I thought he was hiding in his hole. Today while I was cleaning my tunze skimmer I found my yellow goby inside. He looks fine but after an hour or two he decided to start swimming at the top, even going against the gyro current. One of you guys said it can be stress response, what should I do?

James M · Sep 2, 2021

cmustang said:
Hello, I didn’t see my yellow watchman goby for a few days, and I thought he was hiding in his hole. Today while I was cleaning my tunze skimmer I found my yellow goby inside. He looks fine but after an hour or two he decided to start swimming at the top, even going against the gyro current. One of you guys said it can be stress response, what should I do?

Nothing and leave the fish alone