Mandarin and sand sifting gobies

Joe69 · 04-12-2006, 02:25 PM

My long term plan, 8 - 10 months from now is to add a Mandarin to my 125. Of course I want the system to be teaming with pods and such.

I also was interested in sand sifting gobies, but am worried that they will also disturb and/or eat too many pods. I don't think I want any other animal competeing for the Manadrin's food for fear of him starving.

The Manadrin is for personal enjoyment of the fish, the sand sifting gobie is for sand bed maintenance and for enjoyment. Maybe there are alternatives? Different gobies and different ways to stir the sand without loosing pods?

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Woodstock · 04-12-2006, 02:36 PM

Smart thinking! Yellow watchman gobies dig in sand but do not sift like the larger diamonds or tiger striped gobies will. You could add nassarius, cerith and conch snails to stir the sand.

Dragon Wrasse · 04-12-2006, 04:40 PM

Ditto to Woodstock....you also want 4 or more inches of fine live sand and a Refugium to grow pods in wouldn't be a bad idea.

Joe69 · 04-13-2006, 10:16 AM

I have 6 nassarius now and was planning on adding another 20 or so and a couple of conch as my tank matures and there is more for them to eat. I guess I was hoping to find a goby to add that would not impede my future actions of adding the Mandarin. I will read up more on the yellow watchman, I thought they may be too territorial, but maybe not. Thanks for the advice.

Charlie97L · 04-13-2006, 10:40 AM

You can also check out this great article by Marc Levinson on RC... melev, who's site I'm sure you've come across. It discusses how to implement a Mandarin Diner... maybe not the most aesthetically pleasing thing, but it's worked very well for him.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-02/nftt/index.php

04-12-2006, 02:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
Joe69 Fire Coral Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Pueblo, Colorado Posts: 73 View Gallery Karma Komment	Mandarin and sand sifting gobies My long term plan, 8 - 10 months from now is to add a Mandarin to my 125. Of course I want the system to be teaming with pods and such. I also was interested in sand sifting gobies, but am worried that they will also disturb and/or eat too many pods. I don't think I want any other animal competeing for the Manadrin's food for fear of him starving. The Manadrin is for personal enjoyment of the fish, the sand sifting gobie is for sand bed maintenance and for enjoyment. Maybe there are alternatives? Different gobies and different ways to stir the sand without loosing pods? Any thoughts or suggestions?

04-12-2006, 02:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 25,502 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Mandarin and sand sifting gobies Smart thinking! Yellow watchman gobies dig in sand but do not sift like the larger diamonds or tiger striped gobies will. You could add nassarius, cerith and conch snails to stir the sand. __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* *My Victorious Battle with ICH* 120 Reef Chronicle ~ *Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* *Massive 300 gal growout~* *My Anemone & Picasso Tank ~* *Picasso & Snowcasso for sale~* "Energy and persistance conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________

04-12-2006, 04:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dragon Wrasse Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 991 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Mandarin and sand sifting gobies Ditto to Woodstock....you also want 4 or more inches of fine live sand and a Refugium to grow pods in wouldn't be a bad idea. __________________ *Member "Crabs Are Evil" Society* "A wise man learns more from a foolish question, then a fool learns from a wise answer" - Bruce Lee _____________________________ 75 gal SeaClear II Reef Tank (softy tank) - Coralife 125 Super Skimmer - Little Giant 2-MDQX-SC - Angstrom 2537 UV 15W - HOB Refugium - Eheim Pro 2228 - Red Sea Wave Maker w/Maxi-Jet 600 (X4) - 100 lbs Live Sand (DSB) - 100 lbs Live Rock - 260W PC lighting - 470nm lunar lights (X15) - AquaController II Custom 75 gal Starphire glass tank (SPS/LPS tank) - Custom 24 gal Refugium - Tuzne Wave box - JBJ Chiller - 390W PC lighting - 175W MH (X2) - Knop Cal. Reactor - AquaController 3 Pro - Aqua C Skimmer - Phosban Reactor - 18W Turbo-twist UV sterilizer - Sump - Sony Computer 5 gal Nano Hospital Tank - Eheim 2213 - Red Sea Prizm Skimmer - Live sand - Live Rock - Built in Refugium - 36W PC lighting

04-13-2006, 10:16 AM	#4 (permalink)
Joe69 Fire Coral Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Pueblo, Colorado Posts: 73 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Mandarin and sand sifting gobies I have 6 nassarius now and was planning on adding another 20 or so and a couple of conch as my tank matures and there is more for them to eat. I guess I was hoping to find a goby to add that would not impede my future actions of adding the Mandarin. I will read up more on the yellow watchman, I thought they may be too territorial, but maybe not. Thanks for the advice.

04-13-2006, 10:40 AM	#5 (permalink)
Charlie97L Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: North Bethesda, MD Posts: 1,288 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Mandarin and sand sifting gobies You can also check out this great article by Marc Levinson on RC... melev, who's site I'm sure you've come across. It discusses how to implement a Mandarin Diner... maybe not the most aesthetically pleasing thing, but it's worked very well for him. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-02/nftt/index.php __________________ 40 Breeder, 20H Frag Aquactinics T5s, CPR Fuge, Deltec AP600, AC Jr, WavySea

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