should i buy a sand sifting goby

molsen187

Member
i was looking into adding another fish to my 55g tank. ammonia and nitrites at 0 and nitrates 5-10ppm. i was looking at the diamond gobies cause they seem pretty sweet, but i already have a sss and was thinking there wouldn't be enough food for the two of them. i just wanted to ask on here before i made any decision because i always get good advice here.
 

lcstorc

Well-Known Member
How old is the tank? If it is a newer tank I would hold off for a bit.
Diamond gobies are very cool but realize that all of that sand they move has to end up somewhere and it is often where you don't want it.
Still a fascinating fish to watch just wanted to be sure you knew what you were in for.
 

molsen187

Member
i've been reading a lot about them here and online. i'm not sure i'm even going to put one in just yet. just throwing some ideas around in my head and thought i'd run some stuff by everyone here first. my tank is ready for a new fish and i was just looking around and saw how cool that fish looked. i have some damsels in there now which i know can be aggressive, but they seem pretty laid back to me. they don't bother my crabs or snails or my sss but i don't know about other fish. i like the damsels cause they been in the tank since i got it up and running.
 

lcstorc

Well-Known Member
If the damsels are the only thing there and they are pretty small they are likely to chill for now. As they grow or if you put a more passive fish in the system, they will likely become holy terrors.
I wouldn't worry so much about the damsels and the goby beause the goby is likely to stay on the bottom and out of the damsels way.
 

molsen187

Member
thats what i figured. also if i was to get a pair of tank raised clowns, would they do all right against the damsels since there would be two of them to start. should i really just bite the bullet and get rid of sex,drugs,rock n roll (the damsels) or will they be ok in the tank. i really do enjoy them.
 

dsmooth

Member
How old is the tank? If it is a newer tank I would hold off for a bit.
Diamond gobies are very cool but realize that all of that sand they move has to end up somewhere and it is often where you don't want it.
Still a fascinating fish to watch just wanted to be sure you knew what you were in for.

You are soo right i got my diamond two weeks ago and I am constently blowing corals off w/ my turkey baster
 

bandr1002

Member
i too have some damsels and they don't mess with my clown at all, they are a bit aggressive toward each other though,

as for the diamond watchman, i also love this fish. however, i will never own one again. they are very prone to carpet surfing, i had lost two of them and they were in a tank that had a lid. somehow they managed to escape. also, if you plan on ever getting coral on the lower part of your tank.......THEY WILL BURY THE HECK OUT OF IT. imo, the coral was worth more than the fish, as cool as they are. my 2 cents
 

Jeremy0322

Active Member
Alright, i can speak about this with SUPER EXPERIENCE :lol: I had a Sand Sifting Star (assuming thats what sss is?) and went ahead and added a diamond goby and they both did awesome for a few months. However, MAKE SURE, again, MAKE SURE!!, that you have the top covered, expecially with something like damsels, because they spook easily and when that happens they LOVE to jump, I lost 3 of them, made it through eggcrate AND a double layer of pond screen with a screening kit, they are awesome at 2 things, keeping an immaculate sand bed, and ending up on carpets:(

About getting rid of the damsels, they may be pretty but ultimately will restrict anything else you can get really. They are very mean little fish, and there are much better choices out there for fish choices, so I would vote yes to getting rid of them. I do like the names though, very appropriate.

At first when the goby is added everything will get covered, especially with a small sand grain size, but eventually once it has went over everything about twice the sand stops covering everything, whether it be all the really small stuff gets filtered out I dont know, but I noticed a huge decrease in the amount of stuff which got covered after about week 2.
 

marine281

Member
I've got a gold headed sleeper who is a pain. He will be going back to the shop when i can catch him. Great fish, but really only for a fish only tank IMO, things are getting covered, rocks are slowly sinking, i much prefered my aquascaping to his...
 

molsen187

Member
i figured i would have to get rid of the damsels. they are pretty sweet though, i don't think my lfs will take them because they have a ton already, and i don't want to kill them, what should i do with them.
 

ReefLady

Well-Known Member
Staff member
The LFS will probably take them, just might not give you credit for them. Worth asking.
 

molsen187

Member
i'm not worried about the credit, they don't cost anyting anyway. i just don't want to kill them. in a perfect world, i would just keep them but everyone has told me to get rid of them. i like watching them horse around. they're like brothers they just need a little action now and then.
 

lcstorc

Well-Known Member
Depending on what you want to add, you may not need to get rid of them. They are likely to be fine with clowns since clowns are damsels themselves. If you like them, then keep them. I know several reefers who have a damsel or two in their tank because they like the color of the fish.
It is just something you have to consider when adding a new fish.
Damsels are certainly not the only agressive fish that you could have where you would have to consider the compatability before adding a new fish.
I applaud you for not wanting to kill the fish. If you like them, and they are not causing a problem, then keep them.
 

kyle1284

Well-Known Member
well IMO i have had 3 dams in my past and not all of them are that bad... the only one i had/have work for me in a tank is a yellow tail. he is laid back and just likes to swim around by himself and bother no one.
 

molsen187

Member
ive been told they only get more aggressive as they get older. i only plan on adding two clowns, a hawkfish(not for awhile), and maybe one other i don't want to overload the tank. if the damsels will get along with them i'd rather just keep them. they kind of pick on my feather duster dr seuss, but he seems to scare easily anyway.
 

mettjl03

Member
my diamond head goby jumped out of the tank after 45 minutes and died... soo be sure to cover the tank (just to be safe)
 
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