How long can gobies go without eating?

[RedPhotog]

Hello! I’ve never had a gobie and shrimp before, but I picked up a pair at my LFS because I wanted to experience observing the symbiotic relationship with my young daughter. To my great luck after acclimating them in the same container for a couple hours, they immediately starting burrowing together after being in the tank for 5 minutes. I was very happy. I’m still amazed how these two little creatures work that all out. 

 

Anyway, I didn’t feed the goby the day I brought it home. I put a little mysis shrimp in the tank, and he ate 3 or 4 good pieces. That was 2 days and I have seen him since. He’s been in his burrow along with the pistol shrimp for 2 days. I saw shrimp movement yesterday, but no fish movement. They have a pretty nice place too. The entire tank is devoted to this pair. Got some CUC, but they are the main tenants. I wanted to know if anyone had experience with gobies hiding out for awhile until he sorts himself out in the new home. I know gobies aren’t too exciting but I was hoping for a head poking out occasionally, perhaps a tail. 

 

What else...

[WV Reefer]

26 minutes ago, RedPhotog said:

Hello! I’ve never had a gobie and shrimp before, but I picked up a pair at my LFS because I wanted to experience observing the symbiotic relationship with my young daughter. To my great luck after acclimating them in the same container for a couple hours, they immediately starting burrowing together after being in the tank for 5 minutes. I was very happy. I’m still amazed how these two little creatures work that all out. 

 

Anyway, I didn’t feed the goby the day I brought it home. I put a little mysis shrimp in the tank, and he ate 3 or 4 good pieces. That was 2 days and I have seen him since. He’s been in his burrow along with the pistol shrimp for 2 days. I saw shrimp movement yesterday, but no fish movement. They have a pretty nice place too. The entire tank is devoted to this pair. Got some CUC, but they are the main tenants. I wanted to know if anyone had experience with gobies hiding out for awhile until he sorts himself out in the new home. I know gobies aren’t too exciting but I was hoping for a head poking out occasionally, perhaps a tail. 

 

What else...

Totally normal. 

 

I wont see mine for days but she always has a gut so she must eat something down there .... pods and such. 

[Aurortpa]

I didn’t see mine for days at a time when I first got my yellow watchman. Sometimes he’d be out then all of a sudden gone for days, hiding in a cave.  But like @WV Reefer, he managed to eat something.  Once settled in they are hardy. If he does have a pistol shrimp friend, it’s very possible the shrimp is also bringing food to the burrow.

[RedPhotog]

I saw my shrimp today. It went in and out of its burrow as I dropped some frozen mysis in the tank. Could the goby be still alive? Why wouldn’t it come out if it sees the shrimp getting food? Is the shrimp giving food to the goby? 

 

Other than that, I haven’t seen any movement since Sunday. I really hope they are doing ok. If the shrimp is constructing his burrow, shouldn’t the goby be keeping watch? And if the goby is dead, wouldn’t that mean for less construction from the shrimp like I’m seeing? Hope the little guy is ok. 

[Aurortpa]

32 minutes ago, RedPhotog said:

Could the goby be still alive?

Yes, it took weeks before mine regularly would let himself be seen; otherwise I could just see a piece of fin or tail, if even that, sticking out of a hole in the liverock in the burrow.

 

Why wouldn’t it come out if it sees the shrimp getting food?

He might still be shy, acclimating in his burrow, moreover if the shrimp is giving him food—even more cause for him to stay in his comfy cave.

 

Is the shrimp giving food to the goby?

See above.

 

If the shrimp is constructing his burrow, shouldn’t the goby be keeping watch?

When settled in that should happen.

 

And if the goby is dead, wouldn’t that mean for less construction from the shrimp like I’m seeing?

Nope, the shrimp would still maintain it’s own burrow even by himself.

Can you scan all the rockwork bases back and front with a flashlight?  It happens sometimes that gobies and shrimp separate temporarily.  Maybe the goby has a bachelors burrow actually somewhere else in tank?  

 

Also try shutting down flow as you search (not for extended period of course), I notice my goby likes to come out and swim if I turn my pumps off temporarily.  Altho he might just associate the pumps turning off with feeding time.

[RedPhotog]

On 6/21/2018 at 7:34 PM, Aurortpa said:

Can you scan all the rockwork bases back and front with a flashlight?  It happens sometimes that gobies and shrimp separate temporarily.  Maybe the goby has a bachelors burrow actually somewhere else in tank?  

 

Also try shutting down flow as you search (not for extended period of course), I notice my goby likes to come out and swim if I turn my pumps off temporarily.  Altho he might just associate the pumps turning off with feeding time.

I don’t know if folks are still following this thread, but I thought I’d post my findings to get a reaction from the community. 

 

Its been 5 days since I last saw my goby. Dropped him in the tank on Saturday last weekend. He paired instantly with the pistol shrimp I acclimated him with, and did his usual role as watchman as the shrimp constructed their new home. 

 

The next day, the goby was halfway out of the burrow behaving how a goby should. He ate 3-4 good bites of frozen mysis. I went to bed. Never saw him again. 

 

Today I called my LFS to explain the situation and they said 5 days for a fish that small is too long to go without eating. So...I decided to do some investigating in my tank considering my rockwork is easy to bucket without disturbing any present tunnels they shrimp may have excavated while being in the tank. 

 

I carefully removed the top rock work. Held my breath before lifting up the final rock where I knew the burrow was. Only the shrimp was there. No goby. No body. No carcass. Nothing. I got on my hands and knees and covered the entire floor around my tank. Nothing. I built a 1/4 inch net frame for my tank, he couldn’t have escaped. 

 

Im at a total lost for logic regarding where he went or how he may have disintegrated in a tank with only 3 small hermits, one nassarius snail, and a pistol shrimp that was a 1/3 of his size. I checked my parameters and I’m seeing no spike in ammonia or nitrate. I’m super annoyed right now because this is the second time in a row I’ve had bad luck with a livestock purchase from my LFS. Perhaps I suck at this hobby. 

[straydog]

What type of goby and pistol did you purchase ?

[Aurortpa]

@RedPhotog well I can say that probably most of us have incidents whether a mistake or not. We don’t grow wisdom without making mistakes anyway, don’t be so hard on yourself. It probably wasn’t anything you did.

 

Gobys can be sensitive when first in tank but are usually very resilient when established. Is it possible he crammed himself into the rockwork and is just hiding?  Do you have lots of cracks and holes in it?  Mine fits in spaces I never imagined he would go and if I lifted the rock up he would stay stuck in the hole, I’ve done this myself.

 

It is also posssible he buried himself in the sand as you lifted the rock.  Is your canopy open?  Maybe he is hiding in a back chamber?

 

 

[Snow_Phoenix]

They can bury themselves under the sand for a short while, especially if they feel threatened. I didn't see my Hi-Fin for nearly 4 weeks and purchased a Randall's to pair up with my candycane pistol. Then my Hi-Fin popped up out of nowhere, and both my gobies were paired to one pistol for a while. When my tank cracked and I was trying to get everyone out, I found my Hi-Fin well-hidden and buried under my sandbed. Because he's so tiny, it was almost impossible to find him. I only caught him because I actively dipped my hand into the sand and ran my fingers through it. He bolted out of the sandbed then.

 

So if you have a Hi-Fin/Yasha, they might be hiding in the sandbed. Don't worry too much...yet. Tiny gobies can be very cryptic for the first few weeks. If you don't see the goby for more than a month, only then consider it a loss. 

[RedPhotog]

As I took out my rocks I shook them inside the tank, then carefully examined them before bucketing because I’ve read of gobies hanging on in rocks without people knowing they are there. Nothing. 

 

I even stirred the sandbed with my finger once all the rocks were out. No fish. No body. Didn’t even find a head or anything. It’s as if he was never in the tank. 

20 minutes ago, straydog said:

What type of goby and pistol did you purchase ?

Orange banded prawn goby, but I’m pretty sure it was a Randall’s or Aurora goby. Red striped pistol, candy striped pistol? 

[Snow_Phoenix]

5 minutes ago, RedPhotog said:

As I took out my rocks I shook them inside the tank, then carefully examined them before bucketing because I’ve read of gobies hanging on in rocks without people knowing they are there. Nothing. 

 

I even stirred the sandbed with my finger once all the rocks were out. No fish. No body. Didn’t even find a head or anything. It’s as if he was never in the tank. 

Orange banded prawn goby, but I’m pretty sure it was a Randall’s or Aurora goby. Red striped pistol, candy striped pistol? 

How big is he? If he's a tiny fella, he might still be buried in your sandbed. But anything larger than 2" and I'd say he's probably toast. 

[Aurortpa]

Any luck?  Just curious 

[MSunkin23]

I have lost my goby for weeks, I had come to terms that he was dead. To my surprise he reappeared one day like nothing had happened. No clue where these guys go sometimes, but unless you find a carcass, I would assume they are hiding someplace.

[RedPhotog]

14 hours ago, Aurortpa said:

Any luck?  Just curious 

Still no confirmation of what happened to my goby. It’s not in the tank as far as I can tell. Didn’t find good enough evidence for decay to rule out him dying. I don’t believe a fish could totally disintegrate through 5 days from decay inside a month old tank with only a few hermits a snail and a shrimp. 

 

Shrimp is still alive, in the tank. Active. Coming out very rarely to get food. I have seen the shrimp go into his burrow literally through live rock, so maybe the goby is in the actual rock? Which makes me nervous because I bucketed my LR when I was looking for him. So confused. Thanks for asking. I love this community. 

 

Im gonna do a water change this weekend. Let the tank sit for a few weeks. And if I don’t see my goby I’m gonna rule him dead or exiled, and introduce a YWG. Which is the initial fish I wanted for my tank to begin with. 

 

The aurora goby is beautiful but I like the YWG better. Perhaps there is a silver lining to losing my Aurora or pink bar or Randall’s goby whatever you want to call it. 

 

Anyone know of gobies being able to get inside the interior of live rocks? 

[Aurortpa]

3 hours ago, RedPhotog said:

I don’t believe a fish could totally disintegrate through 5 days from decay inside a month old tank with only a few hermits a snail and a shrimp. 

 

so maybe the goby is in the actual rock?

Well, if your tank is new and your cuc hungry, it is possible, but I’m hoping he’s probably just well hidden.

 

My YWG hid in a rock hole until he settled in his cave. They can lodge themselves in there good somehow.

 

Also, my YWG dove into the sand when I removed my rock to move my tank a couple years ago. I was all paranoid he was stuck in some rock, I later was cupping sand out and there he was—in just about the very last part of the sand I was going to scoop. I imagine they have the ability to tunnel through like other gobies do? ??‍♂️

[RedPhotog]

1 hour ago, Aurortpa said:

Well, if your tank is new and your cuc hungry, it is possible, but I’m hoping he’s probably just well hidden.

 

My YWG hid in a rock hole until he settled in his cave. They can lodge themselves in there good somehow.

 

Also, my YWG dove into the sand when I removed my rock to move my tank a couple years ago. I was all paranoid he was stuck in some rock, I later was cupping sand out and there he was—in just about the very last part of the sand I was going to scoop. I imagine they have the ability to tunnel through like other gobies do? ??‍♂️

What’s odd is my goby was fine the first two days. Out of his burrow. Guarding the shrimp. He ate really well the second day after I introduced him. I don’t know why he seemed fine the first 24-48 hours, only to hide for days after that even during feedings. Doesn’t make sense. He didn’t inhibit any initial behavior the first two days that would make me guess he’s hiding until he’s settled. 

[Aurortpa]

1 hour ago, RedPhotog said:

What’s odd is my goby was fine the first two days. Out of his burrow. Guarding the shrimp. He ate really well the second day after I introduced him. I don’t know why he seemed fine the first 24-48 hours, only to hide for days after that even during feedings. Doesn’t make sense. He didn’t inhibit any initial behavior the first two days that would make me guess he’s hiding until he’s settled. 

Hmm that is a bit odd...did you check the inside of your hood or back chambers just in case?  😕

[RedPhotog]

16 hours ago, Aurortpa said:

Hmm that is a bit odd...did you check the inside of your hood or back chambers just in case?  😕

Checked the HOB chamber. I’m hoodless, have a 1/4 inch netting on my tank. I’ve literally canvased the entire basement floor thinking this little guy jumped out somehow. I’ve heard they can go pretty far. I don’t see him dried up on the floor, unless my dog got to it right away. 

 

If he is MIA for another 1-2 weeks, and if I end of up introducing a YWG...how will that introduction go if I’m fact the Aurora pink bar goby is still alive in the tank? 

[Aurortpa]

I’m not familiar with the pink bar but YWG are pretty passive except when they are settled into their own cave.  Mine literally bit the entire head of my tailspot when he accidentally thought the cave was unoccupied BUT that was it. Now tailspot lives on the second story in the rock. They are very civil if not at times curiously watching each other do their thing.

 

I have read of others keeping two gobies in nanos...from what I hear, just depends on how temperamental your gobies are and probably available rockwork. If you want to play it safer, maybe get one at least similar size to what your pink bar is. 

 

Just a tip, YWG’s are very hard when established but I lost one during acclimation...so accclimate well and keep lights off for a couple hours till it gets settled.  Try not to approach tank suddenly for a week or so until it gets used to yor presence.  Mine actually comes out into the open now when I come by with a turkey baster because he associates it with food. ☺️

[RedPhotog]

5 hours ago, Aurortpa said:

I’m not familiar with the pink bar but YWG are pretty passive except when they are settled into their own cave.  Mine literally bit the entire head of my tailspot when he accidentally thought the cave was unoccupied BUT that was it. Now tailspot lives on the second story in the rock. They are very civil if not at times curiously watching each other do their thing.

 

I have read of others keeping two gobies in nanos...from what I hear, just depends on how temperamental your gobies are and probably available rockwork. If you want to play it safer, maybe get one at least similar size to what your pink bar is. 

 

Just a tip, YWG’s are very hard when established but I lost one during acclimation...so accclimate well and keep lights off for a couple hours till it gets settled.  Try not to approach tank suddenly for a week or so until it gets used to yor presence.  Mine actually comes out into the open now when I come by with a turkey baster because he associates it with food. ☺️

I’ve read posts on these forums about YWGs living over 10 years old. I’ve always wanted one. The splash of yellow against my rocks along with the flaming candy striped pistol shrimp I have will look awesome. And I really like their top dorsel fin. They are just a really attractive fish IMO. Perhaps this situation will usher in a silver lining. I hate seeing animals disappear but I’m gomma wait a little while and get another goby. I’ve dedicated this 10g for a shrimp/goby pair and I’m gonna do it damn it. 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

On 6/29/2018 at 7:49 PM, RedPhotog said:

I’ve read posts on these forums about YWGs living over 10 years old. I’ve always wanted one. The splash of yellow against my rocks along with the flaming candy striped pistol shrimp I have will look awesome. And I really like their top dorsel fin. They are just a really attractive fish IMO. Perhaps this situation will usher in a silver lining. I hate seeing animals disappear but I’m gomma wait a little while and get another goby. I’ve dedicated this 10g for a shrimp/goby pair and I’m gonna do it damn it. 

Any luck finding the goby? I bought a pom pom crab a few weeks ago and I finally saw him over the weekend. I thought he was dead this whole time.