Help removing watchman goby

[tigastt]

I purchased a watchman goby and had it for 2 months.. This fish doesn't stop sifting sand.. I want to add more corals at the bottom but each time I do that the goby put sands on them.... It's so hard on catching this fish, as soon as I put my hands inside the water it hides under the rocks. Do you have any suggestions ? Or I have to remove all rocks ?

 

Here is my tank currently http://imgur.com/EZFfkfb

 

Thanks in advance

[flatlandreefer]

That's going to be a tough one, my watchman sees me when I am in the other room and darts for cover.

[tigastt]

That's going to be a tough one, my watchman sees me when I am in the other room and darts for cover.

 

I guess I have to remove all stones so it can't hide right ?

[flatlandreefer]

 

I guess I have to remove all stones so it can't hide right ?

 

It seems to me like that would be the only way that I would ever catch mine. Unless there is a trap that could be used or you could corner him to one rock and block him off some how with a divider that penetrated through the sand bed. I'm interested to see who out there has done this successfully and how they did it.

[smeagol108]

Use a big piece of one diameter tubing. Start a siphon. Suck him out.

[tigastt]

Use a big piece of one diameter tubing. Start a siphon. Suck him out.

 

Hmmm not a bad idea.... I might do this.. I really want to add corals in the sand

[ajmckay]

Bottle fish trap maybe? How big a tank we talking (hosting sites banned at work so I can't see the link)?

 

IMO the easiest will just be to take the rocks out..

[Reef Hollister]

My YWG sees me and he comes out from cover looking for food.

[cruiZe]

That's going to be a tough one, my watchman sees me when I am in the other room and darts for cover.

 

mine too

[smeagol108]

 

Hmmm not a bad idea.... I might do this.. I really want to add corals in the sand

I do this very often with smaller fish. It works well. And normally first three tries u get em. My problem is my tank is only 12 gallons so if I miss the first time I gotta put the water back in to try again as it comes very fast with the large diameter tubing. Sometimes having a helper to hold the tube while u maneuver it to catch the fish helps out. I actually just did this to a ywg last week that was on the other side of the tank from my pistol shrimp. Sucked him out. Put him in my hand and dropped him right in front of the pistol hole and made what I call goby shrimp love instantly. They have been paired happily since after three weeks of the goby not finding the shrimp.

 

Also u may consider keeping the goby and getting a small candy cane pistol. This way the pistol will dig a burrow the goby will stay contained to the borrow and the area just outside. He won't be digging sand all over your tank just in one small area.

[jbrfish]

My Yellow watchman Goby does backflips, whenever I put my hand over the water.

[IronChefItaly]

I've had to move my watchman goby twice among other fish and he is by far always the hardest to catch. I remove all of the rock and even then I can't net him until he exhausts himself. Just be careful during this part as its extremely stressful on the fish and they usually breach the water at least once.