opinions about Gobies

[grizzy]

I have been told by some experienced marine aquarists that the addition of Gobies doesn't put a big strain on your tank's biolaod. The thought being Gobies are more of a consumer than a producer of waste. Can this be said for most gobies, certain types, or is it simply incorrect. If true what types are good for consuming, sand sifting, and other cleaning duties? I really am fond of the blue-cheek goby. Any info or comments on them?
Thanks

 

[fshhub]

welcome aboard, and to answer your question,
gobies eat and deficate and emit oils(slime) just like any other fish, BUT, IMO, i guess that they would be less of a load than a trigger or a tang, in the fact that most gobies are only a 2 or 3 inch fish, and many other fish are much bigger, like a koles tang is a 7 inch fish and a maroon clown is a 6 inch fish and so on, but size aside, tehy(i don't think) are any different than other fish

 

[amphiprion]

Well,
As I said before gobies are fish and they still eat and deficate so they must be considered part of the bioload.
Any of the sleeper gobies in the family Valenciennea are good sand sifters. They are good for Fish Only system but reefers avoid them as they will do a number on a deep sand bed.
Some of the sleeper gobies readily available are
Orange Spotted Sleeper Goby
Yellow Headed Sleeper Goby
Long-finned sleeper Goby
Then you have the shrimp Gobies in the family Cryptocentrus. That would be fish like the Watchman Gobies, Brown Barred gobies, Orange Spotted Shrimp goby, Randall's goby. These will dig a burrow in the sand near a rock, but don't necessarily sift sand like the sleeper gobies.
I think the blue cheeked goby you are talking about my be this (yellow headed sleeper goby)

 

[volitan]

I have a yellow watchman goby, and I can't imagine him affecting the bioload at all in my tank. He sits under a rock all day and peaks his head out to look for copepods. He doesn't swim or anything.

 

[grizzy]

Amphiprion,
The picture you posted is exactly the goby I am talking about. I love those little guys. Anyone out there house them in their tanks?