Sand Sifting Goby?

Hello everyone

Just a quick question, looking for a small, possibly sand sifting goby for my 10 gallon nano, Started the tank in the beginning of march and in the beginning of may added a small cleanup crew. Looking for a stocking idea for this tank with one or two fish was think of a

Court Jester goby
(Amblygobius rainfordi)

or a

Hector's Goby
(Amblygobius hectori)

didn't know if anyone had any experience with either of these and was looking for advice

Thanks
Rich

 

Unfortunately these choices are not good.SSfish(and starfish) will die of starvation in your tank.
Hector and Rainsford Gobies need filamentous algaes to eat.These cannot be supplemented.
Your choices are VERY limited by the size of your tank. Heres a group of nano fish.Not all will be appropriate but it will give you some choices.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15 2124

 

In complete agreement with Vinnie. Sand sifting gobies are not detritus eaters as many believe. They eat beneficial microfauna in the sandbed and will soon starve in a 10, all the while making your live sand eventually "dead". I have a rainsford goby, a purchase I have seriously regretted; I did not do my research. I've had him for three months. Fish take a long time to starve, and you will have to watch it. It is not pleasant. Soon he will starve to death in my 105
Yellow Gobies and green clown gobies might be good goby choices for you. Or a watchman goby/pistol shrimp pair would be fun also.

 

Is your Rainsford eating any prepared foods PDXILE??

 

Vinnie, no it is not. I've seen a piece of mysis bouncing off his head. Which would have been funny but it is not.

 

+2

Nor are they scavengers as I was told at the LFS.

Made the same mistake myself a few years ago with a diamond goby in a 29g. The sand bed was dead in about 3 months, and it took the fish another 2 to waste away and die despite the variety of meaty foods he was offered. In a 10g, I'd suggest the smaller cleaner gobies, like the neon. LiveAquaria carries captive bred/tank raised specimens.

 

Thank you guys for the advice. Glad I asked before I made a terrible mistake. Just goes to show that even though you research in books, nothing beats people's experience. Very grateful.