Oxyeleotris Marmorata (Aka Sand Goby)

[capester]

Hi guys, I cam across this little guy in my LFS today and thought I'd take a punt on him. He is a little on the small size at the minute (2.5" ish) but I have read that they can get pretty big (despite the woman in the shop saying he was fully grown!).
Just wondering if anyone had a bit more info etc on them (tank mates, growth rates, hardiness etc). I am thinking that they will leave things alone that won't fit in their mouth/ Is this right? Cheers

 

[elisew]

This will hopefully help to answer your questions:
http/www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Oxyeleotris&species=marmorata&id=776

 

[capester]

Thanks for the quick reply! That is pretty much all I can find about them. He is currently stalking a flying fox that is at least twice his size so looks like he is going to entertaining! I am just going to ring the shop and gently tell the woman that she shouldn't really be selling them to people that have small community tanks!

 

[elisew]

Even though it states '26" (65cm), usually smaller in aquaria' I would still expect you`re going to end up with a large goby in your tank. what size is your tank now?

As you`ve been misinformed you are within your rights to return it to your lfs and get a refund. It might be an idea to print of the info from that website if necessary and show the staff members how inadequate their training obviously is

 

[nmonks]

Oxyeleotris marmorata used to be imported into England quite regularly, and during the 80s was one of the classic "tank busters" -- fish that got much too big for the average aquarium. Although not commonly seen in pet shops nowadays, it is farmed commercially as a food fish, and occasional specimens do end up in the aquarium trade.

Matt F's review at SeriouslyFish is excellent, so there's not much I'd add except that in terms of care you will need a 200 gallon tank for one of these fish, and you can realistically expect an adult length of about 18 inches/45 cm after 2-3 years. Apart from being nocturnal they're also burrowers, so a soft substrate is a big plus. They attack prey from below, so midwater fish are at particular risk. They're normally kept alone. Water chemistry isn't critical but avoid soft water; hard freshwater or slightly brackish water seems best. Feeding isn't too difficult once you have them weaned onto dead foods. I wouldn't bank on pellets, though they're certainly taken by some specimens. Instead concentrate on tilapia fillet as a staple, with earthworms, mussels, prawns and squid used periodically. While Matt F doesn't say it outright, the fact he doesn't mention feeder fish is something I'm going to stress here. Feeder fish just aren't safe and have no place in rearing this predator. Thiaminase problems are very common when people use minnows, goldfish, etc to feed their predators.

Adults are stunning fish and well worth keeping, but be sure you're prepared for their severe demands in terms of space and feeding.

Cheers, Neale

Thanks for the quick reply! That is pretty much all I can find about them. He is currently stalking a flying fox that is at least twice his size so looks like he is going to entertaining! I am just going to ring the shop and gently tell the woman that she shouldn't really be selling them to people that have small community tanks!

 

[capester]

Thanks, that was useful info. I have range the shop and they didn't seem to care in the slightest. I tried! The information I have found says that that they will not bother things that they can't fit in their mouth, if this is the case then thats fine. If there is a chance that they will take lumps out of bigger fish then there is a problem!

Thanks to the previous poster also, My tank is big enough for him but I don't fancy keeping a tank with just him in it!