Care for Neon Gobies

[esmithiii]

Any special care requirements for neon gobies? What do they eat?

E

 

[samurai9]

www.ffexpress.com has posted care requirements under their sale of neon gobies

 

[esmithiii]

Flying Fish Express suggest 6 or more.

E

 

[Hammer]

Yeah read that. But they don't say what kind of tank size for a group of 6. If I knew that they would live in good health in an 80 gallon, I would get at least 6 right now.
I think that I will add 2 more to the tank and see how that fairs. I would say that they would be happy for more company.

 

[Hammer]

I have a pair of them, both captive bred and raised. Both ate the food that I put in there without issues.
I only got one at first, and it was VERY shy, it hid behind a powerhead, and didn't like to come out. It finally found a 'home' in one rock cave/tunnel. And now rarely goes a few inches away from it.
When I got the second one, it swam to three places in the tank until it saw the first one, it then went STRAIGHT to the other, and they started a little 'wiggle dance'. Guess they had to figure out who was who, but there was no biting or anything.
Since then, those two are never more then a few inches apart. Great little pair.
I make it a habit that when I feed that food passes there 'home' so that they get plenty to eat.

Not to steal the thread, but how many of these could be sustained/happy in an 80 gallon main tank? So far these two have been great together, and if they truly do school and like the company, I will definitely get more of these little guys.

 

[Reef Engineer]

I don't do anything special for my neons and they pretty much eat any meaty food that I throw in the tank. Mine will sometimes clean the fish in the tank but spends most of its time just hanging out.

I've had a "regular" pair (Gobiosoma pceanops)for about two years now and a gold pair (G.evelynae) for about six months. They all seem to tolerate each other and pretty much keep to themselves.

Randy

 

[Hammer]

Has anyone had more then two of the 'regular' kind in one tank? I would like to know their behavior when confined in only an 80 gallon tank.

Mine love to eat brine/mysid shrimp. And just about any other meaty offering inlcuding chopped shrimp, squid, octopus, mussels.

 

[HARRISON]

I had one of these guys but it dissappeared. i tried to figure out what happened but the only thing I could find was a smug looking coral banded shrimp. Be careful if you guys have a bigger CBS these guys can eat the little gobies. I have seen mine grab a scotter blenny by the tail too. If he doesn't get his act together he is going on the next trip to the LFS!!! Oh by the way. That was a 20 dollar snack for that little @#$%^&.

I have a barnical blenny that I like real well. It has a better personality and is sooo fun to watch. Not as brightly colored but very interesting. Good pic of one on my fish page. You can also keep a bunch of these in tank too and they don't bother anything. Just an alternative...

[ December 26, 2001: Message edited by: HARRISON ]</p>

 

[olinf]

You have asked about my favorite species of fish. I know, I'm boring but I just can't have enough gobies. They do very well in large groups. I keep spawning groups of 8-12 in only 20 gallon tanks. There is a bit of bickering over who gets to sit on which rock but no real aggression. It helps to have overturned clam or oyster shells so each male can establish a territory. You should have no problem with as many as you want (within reason) in your 80. Just watch out around overflows, they get sucked in easily. When I had them in my reef tank I had a pair that kept ending up in in the overflow box and even set up a nest in there.
Olin

 

[FishDaddy]

Ernie,
I have two Gobiosoma oceanops in my 55. They eat virtually anything; Flakes: Prime Reef; Formula One; OSI Marine Flake; Brine Shrimp flakes; frozen brine and frozen Formula One.
Dick

 

[esmithiii]

Any way to keep them out of the overflows? I just pulled one out of my sump and returned him to the main tank.

E

 

[Hammer]

Give them time. First week and a half mine stayed HIDDEN. I kept checking the refugium to make sure he didn't make a trip. As soon as it found a spot to call home, it stays there.
Only thing to really help is provide better shelter somewhere away from the overflow.

Good luck.

 

[Hammer]

Sorry for the double post.

[ December 26, 2001: Message edited by: Hammer ]</p>

 

[Joey1]

My neon used to hang out in the same spot all the time,digging a burrow in one hole in a rock,it appeared...he would go into the rock and come out with a mouthful of dirt,it appeared,and turn right back around and go again...slept in the same hole all the time.Never hid.Also appeared to try to clean some of the fishes,but he died about a week ago.I guess it was just his time,he was the first thing in the tank,and I've heard they only live like a year or so.Going to get another juvenile soon as I get rid of my chromises...Now to catch them

Joey

 

[esmithiii]

Thanks for the information. I plan on getting a few more.

Ernie

 

[tendar]

There is no real care other than feed them they are pretty good on thier own and you should be able to have 6 with out any problem in a 80