Rainford's goby, reef safe?

[Ben1]

At the LFS they said yes for sure. I have had this goby a few months now and noticed he wont eat any of my prepared food,fresh live or frozen brine, mysis, flake ect.

Now I noticed yesterday I noticed him pick at my clam mantle. This morning I noticed him picking polyps off of xenia! I also noticed a bite taken out of my cucumber, wether thats realated or not Im not sure but he was giving the cuc "looks" before the lights came on this morning. What do you think?

 

[courtjester]

Hi Ben,

My goby has always pigged out on frozen foods esp brineshrimp - apart from that he spends most of the day doing what he's supposed to, sifting sand. He has never to my knowledge gone for any of my inverts.

If your goby hasn't started to eat prepared foods he's probably trying to get some nutrition from somewhere!

 

[Ben1]

Yes he picks at the sand all day as well, but wont eat live brine or anything.

I have only seen him pick at the clam once but he was eatting the xenia for sure, not that I mind him eatting this but I wonder about the cuc and the clam.

 

[courtjester]

Afraid I can't offer in info on them as I dont have either in my tank!

 

[Ben1]

Thanks anyway, I guess its time to go post this on RC and see what they think.

 

[Len]

No need posting in RC

Rainford's Goby (Amblygobius rainfordi) is perfectly reef safe. It's a filamentous algae eater, and a terrific one at that. Unfortunately, they never feed offered foods, so once you're out of algae, you'll need to find it a new home. Otherwise, they die of starvation.

I've never heard reports of them eating clams, polyps, or cukes. This is a first for me. Usually what happens is after they run out of food, they just whither away. Does yours actually consume the xenia and clam, or is it just picking at their surfaces?

 

[EEreefer]

I have my "Old Glory" for nearly 2 years. Has never taken any prepared foods or touched a tank inhabitant that I have seen. Sifts sand all day, dodging the other fish in the tank. With their specialized mouth and gills I'd be surprised if they could even take a "bite". Maybe he's sucking micro algae off the xenia? I have xenia in the tank and not noticed any interest by the ranfordi. JME.

 

[lawndoctor]

When they sift the sand, are they going only for algae or do they consume fauna in the DSB too?

 

[Len]

Analysis of stomach content suggests they are primary algae eaters. Any infauna that gets consumed may be inadvertent.