Sleeper Goby/Dragon Sifter

[Berzer]

I've had a dragon goby for awhile in my tank, and i was thinking of adding some soft corals. I've read some books that say that they will nip at the polyps and do harm to them, and some other websites i read say that they are totally reef safe. Anyone know or have experience with sifter gobies and corals?

 

[xxmoorishmanxx]

all gobies are reef safe,

it sounds like you may be thinking of a dragonett not a goby. Dragonetts are also reef safe but are very demanding to feed, and need a large well established tank with lots of live rock to provide copepds and amphipods their natrual foods.

 

[steve-s]

Dragon/bar gobies are completely reef safe. Two concerns though. If you have LPS (or get some later) the goby has a tendancey to drop substrate on the corals irritating the areas between the flesh and sclerites. If the coral is always removing the debris (excess sliming) it will eventually degrade. It can also cause necrosis. The other is if you employ a DSB of anykind, sand sifting fish/inverts are a big no-no.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Berzer]

Thanks for the info. I had read that clown gobies and dragon sifters are not totally reef safe in this marine fishes book that i seem to see in ever fish store i go into. I'm starting to wonder if the info is really reliable in it. I found it online here http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...58/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/104-2428279-6803921

P.S.
Yeah that makes sense with the dropping of the substrate. I'm big into xenia and other soft corals of the sort. Was wondering if that'd be a bad idea.

 

[steve-s]

That book is actually pretty good, for the most part I would continue to rely on it's info. FWIW, it is correct on the clown goby, they are not SPS safe but fine with all other corals.

Cheers
Steve

 

[steve-s]

P.S.
Yeah that makes sense with the dropping of the substrate. I'm big into xenia and other soft corals of the sort. Was wondering if that'd be a bad idea.

Sorry forgot that part, it would be just fine.

Cheers
Steve