Time to panic yet?

[bioteacher]

Just added a diamond watchman goby to my 125 reef yesterday. Drip acclimated and he was really healthy looking going in. He looked to have adjusted well last night. He was sifting the sand bed and was right out in the front of the tank. Just got home and I can't find him anywhere. Not sure if he is just hiding or if he is a goner already. I have egg crate covering the whole tank. I searched all around the tank just in case. No evidence of a jumper.

His tank mates include a maroon clown that is fairly territorial but did not go after the goby yesterday at all. A blonde naso, a fox face, a perc clown. Inverts include lots of hermits (blue legs and scarlets) emerald crabs, a serpent star, a purple lobster, skunk cleaner shrimp.

Any ideas if any of these guys should be suspects? The goby was only about 3". Significantly smaller than most of the fish. Even the perc clown is bigger than him. Is the lobster a possibility? I thought that they were safe but those claws look like fish grabbers.

Last time I added fish, I put in 3 green chromis and they all disappeared slowly over the course of like 10 days. With them, I thought it was disease but I never found any remains.

I dunno, maybe I am just over reacting and he is hiding in some crevice.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Could be the lobster...

 

[TheTodd]

My thought was lobster too. I've never had one, but think that they generally will eat whatever they can grab.

 

[Qube]

Could be the lobster...

Lobster would be the first I would look to.

 

[bioteacher]

Stupid thing. All it does is hide anyway. Any advice on catching said lobster without dismantling the whole tank?

 

[Rosesrblu1]

My fairly new watchman goby hides a lot too. Have had him a few weeks and as they become more comfortable to the tank they will come out more. Mine is pretty small. Maybe 3 inches, but about as thick as a sharpie marker.

 

[Marco V]

I just added a watchman yesterday also , I don't see him but I noticed his work when I got home today . If you don't see holes in your sand most likely he's no longer there .

 

[bioteacher]

My fairly new watchman goby hides a lot too. Have had him a few weeks and as they become more comfortable to the tank they will come out more. Mine is pretty small. Maybe 3 inches, but about as thick as a sharpie marker.

Mine is about that same size. I just find it weird because yesterday when I added him he stayed out in front pretty much till lights out. Then no sign of him today.

 

[Rosesrblu1]

Mine didn't sift for about 2-3 days. Now he's a pro, but still shy. Also, some sift more than others. My pink is not a big sifter, my bullet in another tank is a sifting fool...looks like Christmas on the rocks and have to blow them every few days. Depends on the fish and conditions. Give it some time

 

[Rosesrblu1]

Mine is about that same size. I just find it weird because yesterday when I added him he stayed out in front pretty much till lights out. Then no sign of him today.

Btw, mine did that till my son spooked him, then he hid. Real nice...

 

[bioteacher]

I just added a watchman yesterday also , I don't see him but I noticed his work when I got home today . If you don't see holes in your sand most likely he's no longer there .

Holes? No holes ii mine but definitely a few spots that appear piled with divots next to the piles.

 

[Rosesrblu1]

Holes? No holes ii mine but definitely a few spots that appear piled with divots next to the piles.

They did out holes under rocks. You'll start to see some unless you have some low caves. Mine had a low cave I built, so no holes

 

[Holygral]

Gobys can jump thru egg crate, seen it myself to my amazement. The Lobster is the 2nd guess, I had one for years and yes you never see them and they hunt down thing alive.

 

[bioteacher]

My rock is up on stilt for the most part. When I built my scape I used small pieces as pillars and then broad flat pieces to create overhangs. Then I built piles up off of that. Added sand later so there is not much to dig under per se. Some rock to dig around. One piece of rubble that is on sand and he could possibly dig under. Maybe I will give that a check tomorrow.

 

[bioteacher]

Gobys can jump thru egg crate, seen it myself to my amazement. The Lobster is the 2nd guess, I had one for years and yes you never see them and they hunt down thing alive.

Yeah but nothing on floor around tank so I am skeptical about a jump. Any recommendations on capturing a lobster?

 

[Sniperhank]

Tall glad leaning on a rock with food in it. Still, hope your goby is just hiding. Do you have an overflow? Might want to check it too. I remember Carey having on in there several times and I want to say she found a goby she thought was dead several months later when taking rock from on tasker into another.

 

[bioteacher]

Well no sign of him today. I am pretty sure he is a goner. That was a quick $32 gone. I see why this hobby can get expensive. Assuming it was the lobster I see it as some payback from his family to ours. Normally we pay $32 for lobster at a restaurant. He just gave me a big "fu"!

 

[Marco V]

Lol...,

 

[Rosesrblu1]

Lmfao!!! Ha ha

Sorry about the goby, but get that lobster a new home pronto and try again. Love my gobies!! The watchmans tend to be the mayor, watching everything pass by. My bullet doesn't have nearly as much personality.

 

[bioteacher]

I know... I loved that little guy while I had him. Very charismatic. I have a feeling that catching this lobster might be a pain in the butt. Will try the tilted bottle technique sometime this week.