Capturing a gobby

[kynekke]

I filmed my tank last night with nightshot and caught my diamond gobby trying to catch my chromis... I've had 2 of them disappear over the last few days and now I know. So I need to get rid of the bugger... he only comes out at night and during the day he's in a cave under a huge rock.
Any ideas? I wonder about using plexiglass to trap him in his cave but that seems inhumane.

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by Kynekke
I filmed my tank last night with nightshot and caught my diamond gobby trying to catch my chromis... I've had 2 of them disappear over the last few days and now I know. So I need to get rid of the bugger... he only comes out at night and during the day he's in a cave under a huge rock.
Any ideas? I wonder about using plexiglass to trap him in his cave but that seems inhumane.
I posted this on another thread about catching a damsel. I hope it is helpful:
I don't know if it will work - I haven't actually put fish in my tank yet, but I read this on another forum, and also in one of my books. Because the thread I read it on is not remembered by me now, here is verbatim what the book describes:
The New Marine Aquarium Step - by - Step setup and Stocking Guide by Micheal S. Paletta says:
Because live rock makes catching fishes difficult, strategies have been devised to facilitate capture from tanks containing more than minimal aquascaping. In the early stages of a disease (which is the section I found this in) while the fish is still interested in food it may be possible to scoop it out with a large net as it feeds at the top of the tank. To do this requires some dexterity and luck - try to net the fish on the first attempt or it will become spooked.
Alternatively, rather than trying to net, a large plastic tube can be fashioned. An empty plastic soda bottle that has been thoughly washed and has it's bottom cut off is a good choice. The tunnel like bottle (with it's cap on) is placed on the bottom of the tank on its side and the infected fish is shooed into it, then quickly lifted out. To campuflage the bottome, it may be necessary to put substrate on the bottom of it and place live rock around the entrance.
If this fails, try watching where the fish rests at night and then either lift ut this pice of live rock with the fish still in it, or shine a bright flashlight onto the fish to stun it then scoop it out. Be sure to place the fish first in a ready bucket of water it has come from, then acclimate it to the water of the quarantine tank.
Hope this is helpful. I have seen the bottle thing used before, and they were successful, but I don't know if it was a fluke or what. Good luck.

 

[kynekke]

Thanks for the tips... if I ever see him I will try one.
He killed again, he's now eaten 4 green chromis since I got him last Tuesday. I mean I guess they could have died naturally but I've had my blue damsel for weeks with no problems and these chromis are dying fast. I don't see bodies either... I have 1 turbo snail, 1 peppermint shrimp and 6 crabs, could they devour a body in 2 hours?
UGH I hate this fish and can't even find him! I enlisted my husband to lift the rock I thought he was under but he wasn't.. I was hoping to snag him.
So options? Let him kill all my fish and then hope he starves to death (NOT my first choice), put all living creatures into the sump and take all the rockwork out of the tank (wouldn't that spike nitrate and kill my sump inhabitants?) Sadly... those are my only options unless someone can come up with a better one. This guy won't even come out for Mysis.

 

[spanko]

I find it hard to believe that a goby is killing your Chromis. A pack of Chromis bought to watch them school is most of the time a bad idea. they will fight each other to the death until usually only one remains. Are you sure this is not happening and the goby is just getting the road (river?) kill?

 

[kilhullen]

Have you actually seen him attack the fish to the death or just run someone out of his cave (or the like)?
Maybe sit up and watch and see if he does anything. I have read of people using a red flashlight so the fish still think it is night (I think).
When you see him out and know positively without a doubt it is him doing this you can possibly net him then.
If he is eating the "road kill" he probably isn't coming out because he is not hungry. If he did this, maybe it is because it was sick - I don't know if they can sense that or not, but it is possible.
If you don't think you can net him, try the bottle one, it may make for a quicker less detrimental capture to your tank.

 

[mmikej24]

I've had a few diamond back goby's in my time, and I've never seen them be aggressive. They are usually very timid fish, and I highly doubt it would be attacking your chromis. I would check your water conditions or look somehwere else for a reason why your chromis would be dying. As already stated, the Goby could be cleaning up the fish after they are injured/dead, but doubt hes your killer!

 

[darknes]

I've never heard of a diamond goby killing another fish before.

 

[reeffer]

there is NO way your goby is killing fish, i cant believe no one has blurted that out yet!
Chromis will kill each other in a small tank.
as for no bodies...?
do you have a big clean up crew?

 

[reeffer]

also..the attack or attempted capture was the goby defending his burrow.

 

[kynekke]

It's not an issue anymore, the chromis stopped dying off and it's been over a week with no sign of the goby, I think he may be dead.