Compatible fish with engineer goby

NanoReefWanabe · 12/09/2019, 07:27 PM

Looking to stock my new tank with an engineer goby, a couple clowns, a royal gramma and hopefully some sort of blenny (flame tail, or midas)

I am concerned that the engineer goby will dominate the 35g of space and eat my gramma and blenny... anyone have any similar experience with these fish and compatibility?

mike61289 · 12/09/2019, 08:02 PM

Your engineer goby will outgrow that 35 gallon tank very quickly. I would nix it from your list. 35 gallons is not much space to begin with in saltwater. A pair of clowns and the gramma would be enough. You might be able to get away with a small blenny too, but it would be pushing things.

ThRoewer · 12/11/2019, 03:08 AM

I would also advise against an engineer goby (it actually isn't a goby at all) if you want to keep anything else in that tank.
If you want something that digs I would substitute it with a pair of Yasha, Dracula, or High-fin gobies and a candycane pistol shrimp. They should go along well with the rest of the fish you have in mind.

Xavier434 · 12/13/2019, 12:24 PM

I will also advise against an Engineer Goby with that size tank. I have two of them in my tank which is 190 gallons and I wouldn't dare add another.

ThRoewer · 12/16/2019, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xavier434

I will also advise against an Engineer Goby with that size tank. I have two of them in my tank which is 190 gallons and I wouldn't dare add another.

For how long do you have them and are they a pair and breeding?
https://www.themandaringarden.com/engineer-goby.html

Xavier434 · 12/16/2019, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThRoewer

For how long do you have them and are they a pair and breeding?
https://www.themandaringarden.com/engineer-goby.html

I have had them both for about 6 months. They don't seem to spend much time swimming together but they are friendly. I'm not trying to breed them, but I suppose I would try if it happened naturally.

NanoReefWanabe · 12/21/2019, 09:30 PM

I really had my heart set on an eel like fish... damn...
I am also leaning toward a bunch of basslets, will they play well together though? Love the swalesi and yellow assessor, will they be good to the royal gramma and clowns though?

mike61289 · 12/22/2019, 06:45 AM

In a 35 gallon, mixing basslets will lead to many unnecessary deaths. They don't get along well, especially in small spaces. One basslet and the clown(s) are a viable option though.

NanoReefWanabe · 12/22/2019, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike61289

In a 35 gallon, mixing basslets will lead to many unnecessary deaths. They don't get along well, especially in small spaces. One basslet and the clown(s) are a viable option though.

Will the swalesi fight with the royal gramma?

ThRoewer · 12/22/2019, 06:46 PM

Not sure about that pairing but my 3 Gramma got largely along with 4 Starcki damsels.
Generally, Gramma are not fish that look for flights and the Swalis are not really the kind of fish that look for flights either.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

NanoReefWanabe · 12/23/2019, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThRoewer

Not sure about that pairing but my 3 Gramma got largely along with 4 Starcki damsels.
Generally, Gramma are not fish that look for flights and the Swalis are not really the kind of fish that look for flights either.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

That's good to hear...I just found a local guy here that brought in a bunch of candy basslets, and they are much prettier.

Tullsterx · 04/17/2020, 06:22 PM

I love my Engineer Gobie. However, I built my tank for him.

All you need to do is put some large PVC crosses in the bottom, I have 4 in a 48 inch long tank, and just arrange your live rock on top of them. That's what I did. Very stable and he'll have a ball. He's been in there for over 12 years.

I find it hard to believe that this fish would be a threat to ANYTHING else in the tank. He's very reclusive and really never comes out except his front half or so. I do focus-feed him a couple of times a week with a long piece of long thin PVC. He never bothers anything at all and is very passive. Plus he can't see very well and food will sometimes just hit him in the head and roll under the rock for him to find later. There's no way these guys are a threat to anything. I had two in my 225 years ago and they would bicker and didn't really get along. But never hurt each other.

lionfish300 · 04/18/2020, 09:25 PM

Same here I have my since he around 3 inches 5 years latter 12 inches plus and only time he pork his head out of his cave is to get food

12/09/2019, 07:27 PM	#1
NanoReefWanabe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 6,639	Compatible fish with engineer goby Looking to stock my new tank with an engineer goby, a couple clowns, a royal gramma and hopefully some sort of blenny (flame tail, or midas) I am concerned that the engineer goby will dominate the 35g of space and eat my gramma and blenny... anyone have any similar experience with these fish and compatibility?

12/09/2019, 08:02 PM	#2
mike61289 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 424	Your engineer goby will outgrow that 35 gallon tank very quickly. I would nix it from your list. 35 gallons is not much space to begin with in saltwater. A pair of clowns and the gramma would be enough. You might be able to get away with a small blenny too, but it would be pushing things. __________________ Just keep swimming... Just keep swimming... Just keep swimming swimming swimming. What do we do? We swim swim!

12/11/2019, 03:08 AM	#3
ThRoewer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 9,555	I would also advise against an engineer goby (it actually isn't a goby at all) if you want to keep anything else in that tank. If you want something that digs I would substitute it with a pair of Yasha, Dracula, or High-fin gobies and a candycane pistol shrimp. They should go along well with the rest of the fish you have in mind. __________________ Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio 3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...

12/22/2019, 06:45 AM	#8
mike61289 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 424	In a 35 gallon, mixing basslets will lead to many unnecessary deaths. They don't get along well, especially in small spaces. One basslet and the clown(s) are a viable option though. __________________ Just keep swimming... Just keep swimming... Just keep swimming swimming swimming. What do we do? We swim swim!

12/22/2019, 06:46 PM	#10
ThRoewer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 9,555	Not sure about that pairing but my 3 Gramma got largely along with 4 Starcki damsels. Generally, Gramma are not fish that look for flights and the Swalis are not really the kind of fish that look for flights either. Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk __________________ Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio 3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...

12/13/2019, 12:24 PM	#4
Xavier434 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 3	I will also advise against an Engineer Goby with that size tank. I have two of them in my tank which is 190 gallons and I wouldn't dare add another.

12/21/2019, 09:30 PM	#7
NanoReefWanabe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 6,639	I really had my heart set on an eel like fish... damn... I am also leaning toward a bunch of basslets, will they play well together though? Love the swalesi and yellow assessor, will they be good to the royal gramma and clowns though?

04/17/2020, 06:22 PM	#12
Tullsterx Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 40	I love my Engineer Gobie. However, I built my tank for him. All you need to do is put some large PVC crosses in the bottom, I have 4 in a 48 inch long tank, and just arrange your live rock on top of them. That's what I did. Very stable and he'll have a ball. He's been in there for over 12 years. I find it hard to believe that this fish would be a threat to ANYTHING else in the tank. He's very reclusive and really never comes out except his front half or so. I do focus-feed him a couple of times a week with a long piece of long thin PVC. He never bothers anything at all and is very passive. Plus he can't see very well and food will sometimes just hit him in the head and roll under the rock for him to find later. There's no way these guys are a threat to anything. I had two in my 225 years ago and they would bicker and didn't really get along. But never hurt each other.

04/18/2020, 09:25 PM	#13
lionfish300 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico Posts: 795	Same here I have my since he around 3 inches 5 years latter 12 inches plus and only time he pork his head out of his cave is to get food