quads4_lif
Member
I am just wanting a little bit of info on how you like them and the best way's to care for them. Also what tank size do you recomend for them?
Engineer Goby
- Thread starter quads4_lif
- Start date
quads4_lif
Member
um I guess I am the first to have one?
dogstar
Active Member
This is from the wet web boys..........
Convict blenny, family Pholidichthyidae; one species, Pholidichthys leucotaenia (Wirtz 1991), southwest Philippines to Solomon Islands.
This fish is an absolute delight. Pholidichthys leucotaenia, variously called the convict or engineer goby/blenny is neither a goby or a blenny, but still a very interesting aquarium specimen.
Most folks have only seen this fish when it’s small, when it greatly resembles the common eel catfish, Plotosus lineatus in both appearance and behavior. Both are eel-shaped, social animals that “hang out” near rocky areas. The engineer goby is also overall blackish with a silvery white dorsal body line as juveniles… becoming more striped (convict suit-wise) with growth. And yes this fish can grow. Almost always in good health, and amongst the last to perish from disease, poor environment or catastrophe, Pholidichthys is never “late to the dinner table”… and can grow to more than eighteen inches in length… in your reef to fish-only system.
Selection:
Is eminently easy with this species. Most all specimens are in superlative health. Pholidichthys ship and adapt well to captive conditions. Look for and buy them in a small group (they are social animals), of three or five individuals if your system has sufficient size.
Habitat:
A good-sized system (at least a hundred gallons for three specimens) with plenty of rock décor that is, importantly, set right on the bottom in a secure manner. All heavy objects should be set in the tank first, and substrate placed after… to prevent toppling as this species is superb in its undermining activity (hence the name “engineer”
.
Foods/Feeding:
Engineer gobies eagerly consume all types of foods. Getting them to feed on novel items is simply a matter of introducing them down near their favorite haunt/s.
Disease:
This is a scaleless species that doesn’t take well to exposure to harsh chemical treatments. Usually copper or formalin-containing medications are more toxic than a parasitic disease. Best to avoid having to use these altogether by quarantining new fishes for a good two weeks, assuring yourself that you’ve excluded the common external complaints of reef fishes.
Compatibility:
Engineer gobies are unusual amongst coral fishes in their total lack of antagonism toward other fishes or invertebrates. They will eat very small fishes, crustaceans and worms, but otherwise leave larger-than-mouth size organisms totally alone. Reciprocally, all but the meanest of fishes leave them be, letting “live and let live” with the Pholidichthys residing in their dug out caverns and caves.
Reproduction:
This fish has spawned in captivity and the young reared (see Wirtz 1991). Apparent pairs are formed that produce clutches of 400-500 young of about 6 mm. in length that lack a planktonic phase and are protected by their parents for about a month and a half. After this time they young are disbursed by the adults.
Cloze:
Though indeed an “oddball” as marine fishes go, the engineer goby, convict blenny, whatever you call Pholidichthys leucotaenia is a gem of a marine fish for aquarists. It’s hardy to the extreme, accepting of almost all food and tankmate situations, intelligent and interesting behaviorally. It’s only downside as a captive specimen is its prodigious digging behavior, and this is easily checked by careful arrangement of large rockwork being set solidly on their tank bottom to prevent toppling.
Bibliography/Further Reading:
Chlupaty, Peter. Undated. Pholidichthys leucotaenia- the white-striped eel goby. Aquarium Digest Intl. #34.
Wirtz, Peter. 1991. Goby or blenny? Does the larva of Pholidichthys leucotaenia give a clue to the systematic position of the monotypic fish family Pholidichthyidae? TFH 10/91.
Convict blenny, family Pholidichthyidae; one species, Pholidichthys leucotaenia (Wirtz 1991), southwest Philippines to Solomon Islands.
This fish is an absolute delight. Pholidichthys leucotaenia, variously called the convict or engineer goby/blenny is neither a goby or a blenny, but still a very interesting aquarium specimen.
Most folks have only seen this fish when it’s small, when it greatly resembles the common eel catfish, Plotosus lineatus in both appearance and behavior. Both are eel-shaped, social animals that “hang out” near rocky areas. The engineer goby is also overall blackish with a silvery white dorsal body line as juveniles… becoming more striped (convict suit-wise) with growth. And yes this fish can grow. Almost always in good health, and amongst the last to perish from disease, poor environment or catastrophe, Pholidichthys is never “late to the dinner table”… and can grow to more than eighteen inches in length… in your reef to fish-only system.
Selection:
Is eminently easy with this species. Most all specimens are in superlative health. Pholidichthys ship and adapt well to captive conditions. Look for and buy them in a small group (they are social animals), of three or five individuals if your system has sufficient size.
Habitat:
A good-sized system (at least a hundred gallons for three specimens) with plenty of rock décor that is, importantly, set right on the bottom in a secure manner. All heavy objects should be set in the tank first, and substrate placed after… to prevent toppling as this species is superb in its undermining activity (hence the name “engineer”
. Foods/Feeding:
Engineer gobies eagerly consume all types of foods. Getting them to feed on novel items is simply a matter of introducing them down near their favorite haunt/s.
Disease:
This is a scaleless species that doesn’t take well to exposure to harsh chemical treatments. Usually copper or formalin-containing medications are more toxic than a parasitic disease. Best to avoid having to use these altogether by quarantining new fishes for a good two weeks, assuring yourself that you’ve excluded the common external complaints of reef fishes.
Compatibility:
Engineer gobies are unusual amongst coral fishes in their total lack of antagonism toward other fishes or invertebrates. They will eat very small fishes, crustaceans and worms, but otherwise leave larger-than-mouth size organisms totally alone. Reciprocally, all but the meanest of fishes leave them be, letting “live and let live” with the Pholidichthys residing in their dug out caverns and caves.
Reproduction:
This fish has spawned in captivity and the young reared (see Wirtz 1991). Apparent pairs are formed that produce clutches of 400-500 young of about 6 mm. in length that lack a planktonic phase and are protected by their parents for about a month and a half. After this time they young are disbursed by the adults.
Cloze:
Though indeed an “oddball” as marine fishes go, the engineer goby, convict blenny, whatever you call Pholidichthys leucotaenia is a gem of a marine fish for aquarists. It’s hardy to the extreme, accepting of almost all food and tankmate situations, intelligent and interesting behaviorally. It’s only downside as a captive specimen is its prodigious digging behavior, and this is easily checked by careful arrangement of large rockwork being set solidly on their tank bottom to prevent toppling.
Bibliography/Further Reading:
Chlupaty, Peter. Undated. Pholidichthys leucotaenia- the white-striped eel goby. Aquarium Digest Intl. #34.
Wirtz, Peter. 1991. Goby or blenny? Does the larva of Pholidichthys leucotaenia give a clue to the systematic position of the monotypic fish family Pholidichthyidae? TFH 10/91.
emmitt
Member
I have 1 in my 36 gallon. He was VERY small when i got him in january but he is till less than 3" long. They do get BIG. A lfs here has 2 that are over a foot bu they are 10 years old. For starters, they can be in a small tank as they dont swim around alot but they do like alot of LR. They will need to go into at least a 55 eventually.
2 things to know and expect. They tunnel everywhere. Youre LR has to be dug to the bottom and VERY stable or they will definitely cause avalanches.
Also, even when the LR is stable, they dig so much, they are always burying something. Just yesterday my convict started a new tunnel and buried one side of my favorite suncoral
They are really cool fish though. Never caused a problem with the other fish and alot of personality when they are out in the open(they stay in their tunnels alot). MIne actually eats right from the syringe i use to feed my sun coral. He will put his mouth over it and wait for a little squirt then shake it a little and swim back to his cave. Very cool fish
2 things to know and expect. They tunnel everywhere. Youre LR has to be dug to the bottom and VERY stable or they will definitely cause avalanches.
Also, even when the LR is stable, they dig so much, they are always burying something. Just yesterday my convict started a new tunnel and buried one side of my favorite suncoral
They are really cool fish though. Never caused a problem with the other fish and alot of personality when they are out in the open(they stay in their tunnels alot). MIne actually eats right from the syringe i use to feed my sun coral. He will put his mouth over it and wait for a little squirt then shake it a little and swim back to his cave. Very cool fish
lion_crazz
Active Member
I have one in my 210 that is about a foot long. He started at about 2 inches a year and a half ago. This is the second one I have kept. The other one I had was 16 inches before my hermit crab shredded his tail. Both times I have tried to keep them in pairs and it has never worked out.
I love my engineer. He is very active, and has great colors and a great personality.
Definitely not a fish for a small tank though, as they grow fast.
I love my engineer. He is very active, and has great colors and a great personality.
Definitely not a fish for a small tank though, as they grow fast.
engineer
Member
I had one till my Carpet munched him
They are very cool to watch. If you dont have a good foundation rock under your live rock you want to be careful they will dig and tunnel and things just start falling over. Mine would take a small piece of freeze dried krill right out of my fingers.
hot883
Active Member
I have 2 and LOVE them. I put my live rock in first with as many points touching the glass bottom. I then put in my live sand around the rocks. They dig but cannot cause a collasp in my tank because of how I put my rock in. Mine are less then a year old and are about 6-7 inches long.
trainfever
Active Member
I have three of them in my 45. They dont do well alone as juveniles but as adults they prefer to be alone. That is the reason I have three. They kept dying on me but then
I bought these 3 at the same time and I've had them for close to a year. they were about 2 inches when I got them and are now about 6 or 7 inches. They will eat anything they can fit in there mouth. Make sure your live rock is securely settled on the bottom of your tank as the engineer gobies are constantly burrowing. Eventually I will be getting rid of 1 or 2 of them so as not to crowd them out, but for now they are content.
I bought these 3 at the same time and I've had them for close to a year. they were about 2 inches when I got them and are now about 6 or 7 inches. They will eat anything they can fit in there mouth. Make sure your live rock is securely settled on the bottom of your tank as the engineer gobies are constantly burrowing. Eventually I will be getting rid of 1 or 2 of them so as not to crowd them out, but for now they are content.
quads4_lif
Member
Well I had my first near death experience with my EG He just happen to find the ONLY rock in my tank that was not on the bottom of the tank. I got up yesterday morning and seen that the rock he had be digging under had droped and collapsed
so I figured well he's dead so I went ahead and went to work. 12 hours later I come home and move my tank around to get the rock and pull out the dead fish when I pulled the rock up there he was alive :jumping: laying in a little hole he had made but he did not have an exit because it collapsed. So I moved the EG out of the way to make sure he was doing ok and I placed the rock back where it was EXCEPT its on the bottom of the tank now. Within 5 min my EG was already digging again in the same spot. Awsome little guy. :hilarious
emmitt
Member
Originally Posted by quads4_lif
Well I had my first near death experience with my EG He just happen to find the ONLY rock in my tank that was not on the bottom of the tank. I got up yesterday morning and seen that the rock he had be digging under had droped and collapsed
so I figured well he's dead so I went ahead and went to work. 12 hours later I come home and move my tank around to get the rock and pull out the dead fish when I pulled the rock up there he was alive :jumping: laying in a little hole he had made but he did not have an exit because it collapsed. So I moved the EG out of the way to make sure he was doing ok and I placed the rock back where it was EXCEPT its on the bottom of the tank now. Within 5 min my EG was already digging again in the same spot. Awsome little guy. :hilarious
Lol, we told you! Mine is doing the same thing now. He's digging under my 1 unstable rock and i cant fix it since my anemone's foot is attached to that and another rock simultaneously. Every day i have to reposition this other little rock as a stabilizer to keep it all from crashing.
They are AWESOME little guys though!! so much personality.
Well I had my first near death experience with my EG He just happen to find the ONLY rock in my tank that was not on the bottom of the tank. I got up yesterday morning and seen that the rock he had be digging under had droped and collapsed
Lol, we told you! Mine is doing the same thing now. He's digging under my 1 unstable rock and i cant fix it since my anemone's foot is attached to that and another rock simultaneously. Every day i have to reposition this other little rock as a stabilizer to keep it all from crashing.
They are AWESOME little guys though!! so much personality.
