Yellow Clown Gobies

[Jimbo7]

I know these guys are really hard to keep alive, and require quite a bit of attention. I've always wanted one, but in reality I don't think I'll do it.

I know they kind of "host" SPS corals, but do they have any symbiotic relationship with them? Like clowns will feed anemones? I know when they lay eggs on the branches it kills that part off, but usually doesn't effect anything else.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I've heard that about Yellow Clown Gobies also and have always scratched my head. Mine has been fairly trouble free since I've had him (2-3 years) and is always fat and happy. Maybe I'm just lucky.

As far as hosting SPS corals, they just like to hang out in them and hide in their branches. There's no symbiotic thing going on that I'm aware of. Mine gives all corals, LPS and SPS, equal time but seems to perch the most on my acans and my turbinaria. Fun little fish... you should give it a go!

 

[Jimbo7]

Does he seem to bother the coral at all? or are they used to it by now?
My impressions was once you got them a little fat and happy they were fine, but all I have read over the past couple months was horror stories.
Maybe I will...

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

None of the corals are bothered by him now, and I don't remember them having an issue with him in the beginning, either.

I have to take back what I said earlier though - he doesn't give ALL corals equal time! I've never seen him on my Lobo or my Scoly. I'm guessing he's smart enough to know which corals could swallow him whole in a heartbeat!

When he was really really little, I made sure than whenever I fed frozen food (every other feeding), I fed some Cyclopeeze. He would eat that up like crazy. Mysis was just too big for him. Now that he's bigger, most of the mysis is still too big for him, but between the Cyclopeeze, Rods Food, and flake food, he can get the smaller pieces. I have a fair amount of copepods in my tank, and I often wonder if he doesn't feast on those because I don't really see him eat much - but he's never skinny!

 

[foamythesquirrel]

Jimbo7, nice to see this topic approached. I have recently purchased one of these. Name is sunshine and I have to say I can't believe he is still alive. I was in my LFS and that day a few of them arrived. My guys there told me to wait until at least the next day to take one home. So I showed up the next day. I wasn't paying too much attention as to how sunshine looked, but within a few days it looked as if this goby has shrunk and most of the time looks like a skeleton. So I figured, this one is not eating and will only be a matter of time. That was almost 2 months ago.

Still looking somewhat skeleton, sunshine cruises around the tank and pretty much lands on everything.... expect for the BTA and bubble coral. The most common resting places are my fox and duncan (20 heads). Once in a while, on my rock full of brilliant purple mushrooms, and I have never seen such a vibrant display of yellow when resting on the purple.

As for eating, not sure what's going on. I also use cyclopeeze but there is so much happening in my tank when I feed that, keeping track of sunshine gets tough.

I have not noticed any corals getting 'annoyed' because of this addition. Maybe too early to say, but so far so good.

 

[Jimbo7]

Always glad to see a fellow Chi-towner chime in.
What LFS did you get yours at? Ours rarely has them in.

 

[foamythesquirrel]

I purchased my yellow goby at Go Fish Aquarium in Orland Park. Pretty much my main source for everything.

But the unfortunate has happened, and I found sunshine (or what was left) at the bottom of the tank. Held in there for a few months, but never really became comfortable in the tank.

I think I am going to get another one soon, just going to wait for them to have them in stock for longer than a day. Imagining what they go through to travel to a LFS is enough to consider they need a break from the action. I will be more careful next time.

I did some reading on them when I got one and a few times it was stated that they tend to clear out when others are feeding. I'll have to consider a way to spot feed in order to make it work.

I made some video and will create some clips and figure out how to post here... I guess I could always post to youtube...one more site to sign up for.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

..Mine has been fairly trouble free since I've had him (2-3 years) and is always fat and happy. Maybe I'm just lucky.
...

I swear... I'm going to stop posting about things I own - I seem to hex them. My yellow clown goby decided to carpet surf at some point in the last 12 hours. Weird... they're not really jumpers at all. Same thing happened a year or so ago right after I posted how long my cleaner shrimp had been alive - and within days it was dead!

 

[Jimbo7]

oh man that sucks! sorry to hear about it.

 

[mrg02d]

Seems we have the worst luck with gobys here! Its now been 8 days and no sign of my yellow watchman goby. Ive tested for ammonia every night and get zero ammonia. Thinking my system was maybe MUCH too efficient and simply processed all the lil guys ammonia right into nitrates, I began testing only to find its now at zero. (Could also be due to what looks like new tank cyano).

Gobys seem to be risky choices. :-(

Matt

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Not really risky, in my opinon... like I said, mine had no issues for around 3 years. It just decided to see what life was like on the other side of the glass. Stuff happens. Think it must've jumped when I opened the lid to dose alk/ca in the morning, and it's so small I didn't hear or notice it.

I'll definitely be replacing it! It was a favorite of the kid/wife/mother-in-law!