Violet Gobies changed behavior

[bwayne400]

Hmmm.... 55 gallon tank stocked with 4 small (< 3 inch) tinfoil barbs, 3 4" balas, 1 large common pleco (12" plus) - temporary until it can go back outside in the pond- and 2 medium sized Violet gobies. ammonia, nitrate and nitrites well within limits (don't have the numbers here with me at work)

In the last week the gobies have taken to rearranging the decorations and swimming around the top of the tank with their eyes exposed and not gulping air. This only happens with the tank lights off. I've had the pair for about a year and a half. The only change of late has been the change of brand of blood worms that they get.
Are they preparing to spawn or what?

 

[Bad Jeff]

Hey bwayne400, I've got 2 violet gobies in 2 different tanks and everynight like clockwork when the lights go out they start too "freestyle" swim. I don't think it's a spawning thing.... their eye sight is poor so once the lights go out they loose their inhibitions and start searching for food and poking around. Every night I watch them boogie all over the tanks for a bit.... really neat to watch! (When they do this give them a little bite to eat and they'll love you for it.)
jt

 

[Toirtis]

They are a brackish fish, so they require that as well as temps around 70ºF to spawn, so the cause of the behaviour change is something else.

 

[Mudfrog]

My violet goby does the same thing, he will hide while lights are on but when lights are off he searches for food. Are you sure he didn't do this in the past and you just noticed?

 

[bwayne400]

They have always swam around the tank but not with just their eyes out of the water and they have been rearranging the rocks and plants - not just sifting for food. The tank is slightly brackish but not full as I want to support the other fish. The balas and tinfoil barbs will be just fine with the salt content.
In the last month I have started feeding live blood worms and the temp has dropped to the mid-low 70's. So we'll see if we get baby dragons soon.

Last night one of the dragons pulled some of the plants into their cave and have blocked the opening.