Rockslides and diamond back goby

[savex389]

Our 150 gallon tank has been running since January and we'd really like to get a diamond back goby.
Our rock work is all placed on top of the sand now, should we move it all down to the glass to avoid rockslides or will they be fine?
Also will the goby be fine in a quarantine with no sand?

 

[eric b 125]

I had a watchman goby in my tank for a few years and the rocks were on top of the sand. It did make some pretty serious burrows and I would suggest having the rocks on the glass, not on the sand. Diamondback gobies never stop sifting through the sand eating microfauna, so unlike the watchman that I had it's not just a burrow you have to worry about. It's really not worth the potential disaster to not take the precautions. I suggest doing it whether you get the goby or not.

 

[savex389]

Thank you. I think we'll be moving the rock to the glass in the next couple of weeks. Not looking forward to it

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Savex389 http:///t/396150/rockslides-and-diamond-back-goby#post_3529037
Thank you. I think we'll be moving the rock to the glass in the next couple of weeks. Not looking forward to it
Hi,
Rocks are already covered...Just to add what was already explained...the sandsifting goby ONLY eats what fauna is in the sand, (sometimes...SOMETIMES, they learn to eat frozen fish foods) so they must be in a tank with sand, even for quarantine. Once they go without food and their belly sinks in, they can't ever eat again, and will starve.

 

[savex389]

How much sand should we put in the quarantine for him? Should we put it there at let it grow stuff for a while before we get one?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Savex389 http:///t/396150/rockslides-and-diamond-back-goby#post_3529044
How much sand should we put in the quarantine for him? Should we put it there at let it grow stuff for a while before we get one?
Two inches deep...It will need live reef sand...not the bacteria enriched sand sold in bags at the LFS. This site sells a great live reef sand loaded with all the little critters sandsifters love to eat.
To be honest, I gave up one sandsifter because it depleted the fauna from the system (a very mature, running for 4 years 90g tank) within about 5 months. The only way to keep it would be with a mature refugium so it could be replenished by keeping sand in that as well. The next time I had one, it ate by a happy accident, the frozen Mysis that had landed on the bottom of the tank, and it learned to eat frozen food.
This is the type of critter that I think should not go into a new set-up, if ever. The fauna does more then just feed the sifter, it's part of what balances out your tank so it can stay healthy. Personally, knowing what I know now, I would pass on this critter.

 

[savex389]

I do have a refugium with sand, but obviously it's not mature. I may take your advice on this flower, thank you!

 

[eric b 125]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/396150/rockslides-and-diamond-back-goby#post_3529057
Personally, knowing what I know now, I would pass on this critter.
+1. While they do a good job of keeping the sand bed looking clean they also strip it of a lot of the things that make a sand bed worth having. Without the microfauna that would feed the fish a sand bed isn't nearly as beneficial to your tank as it could be