Clown Gobie with Dwarfs?

[equinecpa]

What do you all think of putting a tiny clown gobie in with dwarfs? I don't have either yet but was wondering. My tank is just about done cycling and I am looking to begin stocking it. I've heard they are pretty slow so I don't think they'd compete much with the seahorse for food.

 

Also any experience with purple sea whips in a dwarf tank? I think they are really neat looking but don't want to buy one if it'll just die.

 

Carolyn

[equinecpa]

I meant to add this to the dwarf seahorse thread so let me clarify that I meant dwarf seahorses.

 

I just read the other posts on purple whips sound like they might be a bit tought to keep in a small nano...so I will pass on those for now.

 

Carolyn

[booboo]

first off what size tankdo you have? How much circulation is going on in the tank? Did you use lr?

[equinecpa]

No LR, just dead lace rock. 5 gallon. Just finished cycling, awaiting first inhabitants. I'd love to make this a dwarf tank but also am not sure I can resist that gobie....

[NanoReefTexas]

Hi equinecpa,

 

You also posted in my RC thread I noticed, but another RCer is getting flamed to shreads, so to avoid all that, I'll talk to ya here insted. I have not kept dwarf's but I have been researching their husbandry, and have ordered Abott's book on dwarves as well. So all my yakking is just an opinion, don;t take any of it as expert advice or fact. That little disclaimer said, here's my 2 cents:

 

Quoting an exert from Eric Borneman's book Aquarium Corals:

 

"Leptogorgia reportedly fare very poorly in the aquarium. The polyps must be fed frequently and, even so, may tend to lose their rind tissue and degenerate until nothing is left but the hairlike axiel centers. In the wild, tests have confirmed that these corals quit feeding when as few as 10% of the polyps have captured food. In the aquarium, this presents obvious difficulties."

 

Now if you're anything like me, when I first red that, I went and thought 10% huh? Sounds easy! And if there's been no success yet if its that easy, maybe I could be a first, and add something valuable to the hobby! May I also add though, algae easily overgrows these guys, to keep it off, you need high flow, and high flow doesn;t mix well with seahorses. Enough said, as that should put this horse tank mate to a halt right there. You might want one bad enough to consider the alternative of buying a dried/dyed one... Let me tell you now, they are BRITTLE, so again, with lack of high flow, the first time you clean it. Expect alot of snapping and breaking. They're not a good choice. I bothered to research them because I too wanted one with the dwarfs I plan to get. I don't know on the goby, but I wouldn't chance it personally, your best bets for live tank mates from what I gather are snails. Limpets will kick hydroid butt too! You may never see another hydroid again! If you want the look of real corals, and not the pathetic fake crap often seen at the LFS, consider this web site.

 

http://www.store.yahoo.com/seacoral/colorpalette.html

 

All the beauty, and no stinging risks. Or better yet, do a search online, and find a company that makes quality replicas, so corals don;t have to die for the curio trade. You might also check your local craft stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby for dried/dyed sea life if you decide to go that route. You won;t have to feed it, so it won't foul the water, it's the route I'm going to go.

[slaeyer]

equinecpa

 

Sorry, didn't see your post earlier.

 

Have no experience or research on keeping any gorgonian, so I won't comment there.

 

As for the goby idea, that I have researched so here's what I've learned thus far.

 

There's two big issues I've learned thus far for dwarf tankmates. One being that unless your critter eats algae, filter feeds, or is photosynthetic, they will not be able to feed unless you specifically feed them. While this may not seem to be a large concern, it brings up the fact that anything that eats other food may see tiny dwarfs or dwarf fry as food.

 

Now that does not mean that a clown goby will not survive, or even thrive. It simply means that it may (or may not) decide that your dwarfs or fry look tasty!

 

Couple that with the fact that most fish larger than a dwarf have been known to terrify them, and the added bioload, you may have deaths simply due to stress.

 

The flip side is that I personally know of at least one success with a small yellow clown goby in a 5.5 gallon homemade cube w/ a pair of dwarfs that is thriving and is not percieved as a threat by the dwarfs. I've even seen them attempt to hitch to the stationary goby! I wish I had pics, but alas I don't.

 

Hope I've been able to help,

SlaeYer

[equinecpa]

SlaeYer and Orca

 

Thanks for your answers. I think I will try this, if worse comes to worse someone can go in another tank. No real problem. I plan on separating fry in my tank as I plan to have snails and a few non-agressive corals like mushrooms. I think adult dwarfs will be ok but perhaps not fry.

 

I love to hear about other's experiences with dwarfs and their tanks, especially unconventional ones. I know true

dedicated dwarf keepers won't hear of putting anything else in the tank even small snails. Personally, I like a more natural look.

 

Carolyn