Hi-fin Red Banded Goby Question...

[JWeb]

Well, I added another fish. This time, I picked up a Hi-fin Red Banded Goby, and a small pistol shrimp to go with him. I had the LFS put the two together in a small tank for about a week to see if they would pair up, but they didn't at the store. I acclimated the two to my tank on Friday night and put them in. To my dismay, the goby sank to the bottom and sat in one spot for 4 or 5 hours until I went to bed. But, to my surprise, the next morning I found that the pistol shrimp had dug a hole beneath a prominent rock (right in front!) and the goby was standing gaurd at the entrance.

I was happy. But, something spooked the goby (movement in the room) and he dove into his hole. He emerged, but on the backside of the rock! He has been there since yesterday morning.

My questions are thus:

Is there anything I can do to motivate him to stay at the front of the tank for my own selfish enjoyment?

He is not very active at all... will he become more active in time? (liveaquaria.com says they won't eat for a few days... so I assume he is still acclimating). I'm wondering if I can expect more activity from the little guy.

He's a beautiful little fish and I hope to see him more than I do! I don't think anything in the tank is scaring or bothering him as he really just sits right outside the hole and never moves... unfortunately, it's on the wrong side of the tank!

 

[Kim]

My goby sits at the entrances of his home. 99% of the time its the entrance the shrimp is closest too. If the shrimp moves, the fish moves.

Over time your fish and shrimp will feel more safe and come out more often but theres really nothing you can do about them being in the back of the tank. Least that I know of. Eventually I am thinking the shrimp will build multiple doors and you will have times of the day that you will see him and times when they are in the back. Thats what happens in my tank but its only a 10 gallon so I can see the fish all the time at least.

Also as mine got more comfortable both come out to eat and the fish will swim around some even without the shrimp. But mostly these guys do a lot of resting/perching but they are still neat.

 

[JWeb]

Thanks for the comments, Kim. As far as multiple doors, do you mean there will be essentially tunnel structures? Right now, they dug a hole under a rock with a front and back entrance... to the goby, the shrimp is closest from either door and he hasn't moved from the back.

Anyway, maybe I just need to give them some time. I should just be happy they paired so quickly!

 

[Kim]

Yes by doors that is what I mean. The tunnel structure in my 10 gallon had about 10 entrances/exits a few weeks ago but the shrimp did some remodeling lately and closed some sections down.

Even when there were about 10 ways in/out 3 were main doors and were used the most often.

I also have a firefish in the tank and he sleeps in the tunnels too and I think that is what started my shrimps remodel. I think he made an east wing just for the firefish.

Overall though the fish don't do much, they aren't active fish, but they are interesting to watch nonetheless.

 

[NateHanson]

Is a red-banded highfin a YasheHaze Jeff? Lovely fish!

You won't get much more activity out of them though. As the goby gets used to you he'll probably be less skittish, but he'll still spend 90% of his time at the mouth of his cave. One thing I've noticed, is that the fish will move to another cave entrance if food isn't blowing past his main entrance. So if you want him to move, don't target feed him. He might start trying other entrances in the front. When you have him where you want him, try to drop food in so that it floats right past him.

Nate

 

[JWeb]

Thanks Kim and Nate...

Nate, I'll try to feed at my favorite entrance!