[Firefish]

Whats her problem?? every couple of hours she keeps waving her tail and creating a huge sand storm. My LR has moved because of it. If I go in there and flatten it out, she'll do it again in less then ten minutes. I try to tell her that she cant keep doing that but she just stares at me, wiggles her a$$ and casually drifts back to her home (shroom)

[BLUESMAN]

Get used to it...She might do it for awhile.She's looking for a home or she might be attempting to get parasites off of her.Mine did the same thing...she had parasites.I got an BTA and she no longer has the parasites.I would only suggest getting an BTA if you have good lighting and good water conditions.Might want to try a couple Neon Gobies...they are good at removing parasites.one other thing you can try is soaking your food(frozen) in garlic oil.Hope it helps.The BLUESMAN

[Firefish]

I have gobies, cleaner shrimp and a cleaner wrasse. I also have a BTA but she prefers the Hairy Mushroom, you know how Clarkies are She dosen't touch the sand, rather she just gets about 1/2" above it and waves her tail to create a sand storm.

[srgtkoons]

sounds like she is trying to prepare a nest site.

[Claude Pool]

Firefish

Sorry for jumping in. Do your gobies dig in the sand? How many do you have?

I would like to get some gobies but don't want to exceed my fish load. I read somewhere that you should get at least 6. Feedback anybody?

Thanks,

Claude

[BLUESMAN]

I have two in my 25 with my Cinnamons and two in another 25 with my Clarkiis.The two with the Cinnamons are quite large(4" and 6"),they like to dig holes in the corners.The two with the Clarkiis are small(2") and stay mostly on the walls.I don't know about keeping 6 though.From what I read I would say 4 max...I beleive if you end up with two males they might fight or one would end up a loner.

[Claude Pool]

Bluesman,

I assumed Firefish was referring to Neon gobies since they are cleaners. Is that what kind you have? I thought they did not get much bigger than 1-2".

[BLUESMAN]

Claude,Yes they are Neons I believe.The larger ones are of a different spieces...not Atlantic Blue Neons(which are the smaller ones).I'll have to look up what spieces the larger ones are.They are more black with white stripes.At first I thought they were "cats" but they do not have the friskers.I would get the Atlantic Blue Neons.....at this point they clean each other and not the Clowns.Hope this helps.

[Firefish]

Hi CP. I have Yellow Neon Gobies. They both like to live in my polyp colonies. They kinda just hang out untill my Tang comes by and then try to hitch a ride. Neither of them like to dig in the sand. But my Firefish likes to kick up a little sand storm every now and then. My female Clarkie makes craters in the substrate, everyday...

[Claude Pool]

Well, I took the plunge and ordered my neon gobies from Reeftopia in Florida. Pete dives everyday and that is one of the items he sells. All the critters I've bought from them have always been top quality so I'm hoping the gobies are too. Edie says they should not get any bigger than 2.5" and they are really thin. So I got 6. I have a 75 so I should be OK.

Thanks for all the feedback everybody.

Firefish,
my cinnamon clown stayed in a back corner of the aquarium for 2 months until I got him a BTA. He would never come out except for quick dashes at feeding time. He was so happy with the BTA, which he adopted within an hour much to the chagrin of the BTA which wanted no part of it, that he became overly enthusiatic and would really smash into it and beat it up until he finally killed it. All the while he would dig deep holes right in front of it much like you describe your clarkii doing. When the BTA died, the cinnamon took up residence in a flower anemone which has its home right above where the BTA was. He has not dug a hole since and never went back to his corner. He does not beat up the flower anemone and spends much time sort of half way behind it, nuzzling it so he can get behind.

Claude

[chris]

My female Clarkii keeps a huge crater dug around her BTA. I used to try to fill it back in, but she would immediately do exactly what you described to dig it back out. So now I leave it and she doesnt mess with the sand anymore.

HTH,
c

[Claude Pool]

Well, I got my neon gobies yesterday. One died in shipment.

I have seen 4 of the others and they seem to have paired off. The 5th is AWL as of now. Probably still shy and hiding in the rocks.

One seems really curious and comes out of the rocks whenever I approach the aquarium. It's buddy/mate-to-be follows close behind. The other two hang out really close to each other on the back glass.

Am I glad I got that many. They are really tiny. 1-1.5" long but only about 1/8" thick. Even when full grown, which is supposed to be about 2.5" I can't imagine that they would add more bioload than may be a mature flame angel.

They ARE beautiful!

What do you feed yours?

Claude

[BLUESMAN]

I feed mine the same as the clowns(combo of seafood).Yes the neons are extremely small.I'm planning on getting a pair for each of my tanks.No worry about a bio load from these guys.I was first afraid that my clarkiis would chew them up(they being so small) but all is good at reefland!

[Claude Pool]

Number 5 is accounted for. It's the biggest of them all but very shy. It could be a female full of eggs.

They are beginning to venture to the center of the tank and seem to be settling down. Definetely two pairs plus the loner. Shame one died.

I understand that they are very short lived, may be a year, but reproduce readily in tanks. The trick will be to raise the young and keep the line going. Anybody ever did it?

Claude

[Firefish]

My two Neons hate each other. They stay at opposite ends of the tank and if their paths do cross...it looks like one long yellow streak as they chase each other around all the rocks.