Mixing Gobies And Inverts

[dizzied]

I'm thinking of adding gobies to a mostly-invertebrates tank of mine. I thought I'd ask here if anyone knows how well they'd mix together before I buy any.

These are the tank's current inhabitants:

Brachygobius sp (non-dwarf, probably doriae)
Bamboo shrimp
Various snails (spixis, trapdoors, ramshorns, nerites, etc)
Cambarellus shuffeldtii

They all co-exist peacefully together.

These are the gobies I'm thinking about adding:

Awaous flavus
Chlamydogobius eremius
Sicyopterus longifilis
Stiphodon sp (there's several species on the market, but I assume their size/temperament are probably very similar to one another)

I've asked the suppliers already, but thought it'd be best to get a second opinion, just in case.

 

[Colin_T]

I gather the tank is freshwater. Chlamidogobius eremius (desert goby) should be fine but do like a bit of salt in the water, depending on exactly where they came from. If they are local bred they should be fine in your local tap water. Not sure about the other gobies but in general as long as they are small species they shouldn't bother your shrimp. Some gobies get big enough to eat shrimp and would not be suitable.
None of them should bother the snails.

 

[severum boy]

Id imagine the Stiphodon would be ok in there, but ive not kept any of the others so I cant help there.

 

[dizzied]

Thanks for the input guys.

I've basically crossed out the Sicyopterus and the Awaous. The former being possibly too big (4" or so) and the latter being too expensive ($25!).

At this point, I'm not too worried about the inverts. It's really the BBGs that concerns me, since both the Desert gobies and Stiphodons would be twice the BBGs' size. The Stiphodons certainly look safer, but the Desert goby looks like it can swallow a BBG in one gulp.

If anyone else have information, do share.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi dizzied

I'm glad to see that someone is interested in keeping Chlamydogobius eremius aka Australian Desert Gobies. I just picked some up last week at my local aquarium society auction and am quite delighted with them. They are still young and don't have color, but the best way to describe them is "cute!"

Since I keep mostly corydoras and a few other rather small freshwater fish, I asked the breeder two questions. One was if they needed salt in the water, the second was, "Are they mean?" When he answered "No" to both of them, I made up my mind to bid.

A search of the forum showed very few posts about these little guys. I hope it turns out that they will do well in your tank and that you decide to get some of them so we can compare our experience with them.

 

[Colin_T]

ANGFA has information on desert gobies. Check out angfa.org for their details.
Desert gobies are easy to breed. Have a group in a tank and feed them well. When they mature the males of most variants develop blue and black markings on their dorsal fin. (The colour is variable depending on exactly where they came from). Males also get slightly bigger and generally have a yellow body without markings, whereas the famles having a few mottled patches on them. The males show off to the females and eventually they lay some eggs inside a cave, a length of pvc pipe is often used, or a flower pot on its side. The male guards and fans the eggs for a week or so and then the fry swim off. Baby desert gobies can usually be reard on newly hatched brine srhimp but some people use infusoria for a week before adding brineshrimp. The adults will breed several times in quick succession before having a resting period which can last for months.

 

[dizzied]

Glad to hear some positives about the Desert gobies. Part of me still worries that they might go chomping on BBGs and perhaps dwarf crays though.

 

[severum boy]

Grrrr someone gets to have dwarf crays! So annoying that they "can live through the British winter".
I would go for the Stiphodons, I know a local shop has some in with shrimp with no problems, and a friend has his with some apple snails with no problems.

 

[dizzied]

Stiphodons are my first choice right now. Given that they're more herbivorous and have smaller mouths, they look like a pretty safe choice.

As for the Desert gobies, I might get a pair, and if it doesn't work out, I could get a 5g for them. That bottom shelf on my 10g's stand might finally be of some use after all.

I also haven't a clue what "can live through the British winter" is supposed to mean.

 

[severum boy]

Its just me having a dig at DEFRA, the accociation that decides what animals are and are not allowed in the UK. And they say that all but one species (the red claw) of crayfish can live through the freezing cold bristish winter, so with the native bristish cray taking a bashing from its north amrican cousin at the moment, DEFRA dont want anything sealing the native white claws fate, inculding tropical species. And I have a big soft spot for dwarf crays!
Hope that clears it up!

 

[RadaR]

so with the native bristish cray taking a bashing from its north amrican cousin at the moment, DEFRA dont want anything sealing the native white claws fate, inculding tropical species.

Good.

 

[severum boy]

Whats good? "Saving" the white claw or not allowing crays into this country?

 

[dizzied]

I'm too dyslexic to really get all that, but if I'm getting this right, DEFRA does not allow the import of C. shuffeldtii because they might wipe out your native crays?

 

[severum boy]

I'm too dyslexic to really get all that, but if I'm getting this right, DEFRA does not allow the import of C. shuffeldtii because they might wipe out your native crays?

Yep, thats how they see it. They wont actually allow any species of Crayfish, except for one, to be kept in the UK. My argument is that most of them are tropical species and cant live through the Uk's winter, its too cold for them to survive, so they should be allowed to be kept here.
Hope that makes more sence!

 

[RadaR]

Makes sense to me now mate