engineer goby

Discussion in 'Tropical Fish' started by dinkanber, Sep 25, 2011.

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  1. dinkanber

    dinkanber Skunk Shrimp

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    Very cool fish.Hes pretty small right now and i have what has been told to me by MANY people around here an awesome LFS.I visited them the other day to ask about a great fish to clean my sand.Told them i had a 20g high tank at the end of its cycle.So i get home and look this guy up and WHOOOH..70 gallons is what live aquaria says for min tank size...Do i need to take him back and tell them to kiss off.
     
    dinkanber, Sep 25, 2011
    dinkanber, Sep 25, 2011
    #1

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  2. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Yup he will grow large and make large burrows. Not fit for a 20 gallons by a long shot, too bad he was sold under this pretense because he is just going to get sold again as a suitable fish for smaller tanks, yeah at his current size but he will not stay small for long.
     
    Corailline, Sep 25, 2011
    Corailline, Sep 25, 2011
    #2
  3. Travis45

    Travis45 Scooter Blennie

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    Yeah I had an engineer in my 75 gallon. He ended up getting about 9 inches long and making larger burrows. He also got pretty aggressive towards other fish and out attempt to bite anyone that would come near his cave.
     
    Travis45, Sep 25, 2011
    Travis45, Sep 25, 2011
    #3
  4. dpruitt7450

    dpruitt7450 Bubble Tip Anemone

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    Yea take him back... My goby got to 13 inches and was still growing and they make multiple large burrows so your rock scape has to be purfect to not get any rock slides
     
    dpruitt7450, Sep 25, 2011
    dpruitt7450, Sep 25, 2011
    #4
  5. cdc

    cdc Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    I have 2 that are at least 13" very nice fish but as others have said get to big for a 20g. They regularly move burrows between two piles of rock I have.

    [​IMG]
     
    cdc, Sep 25, 2011
    cdc, Sep 25, 2011
    #5
  6. Mr. Bill

    Mr. Bill Native Floridian

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    To address the issue of cleaning your sand, the engineer goby is not a sand-sifter; it only digs burrows under the rocks. The gobies that do sift sand require a large tank with a deep, live sand bed. I had a diamond goby starve in a 29g once my sand was depleted of all life forms. The same will also happen with a sand-sifting starfish. Your best bet is 1 or 2 nassarius snails (or a gravel vac).
     
    Mr. Bill, Sep 26, 2011
    Mr. Bill, Sep 26, 2011
    #6

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  7. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

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    i know gobys dont tend to get along but is he compatible with a dimond and a mandarin "goby"?
     
    Swisswiss, Sep 26, 2011
    Swisswiss, Sep 26, 2011
    #7
  8. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    The name of this fish is misleading it's not a true goby or blenny. Minimum tank size on LA is 70 gallons. They are not trust worth wit smaller more passive fish like gobies.
     
    Corailline, Sep 26, 2011
    Corailline, Sep 26, 2011
    #8
  9. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

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    thx Corailine, will pass on him then. Shame I liked his long eel like appearance but what you just said, paired with the fact he might demolish my rock work AND compete for food with my diamond is a definite throw off.

    not to mention I can only offer it 47 gallons
     
    Swisswiss, Sep 26, 2011
    Swisswiss, Sep 26, 2011
    #9