Feeding a watchman goby

[rsarvis]

I have a fairly new watchman goby who's living (along w/ his pistol shrimp buddy) beneath quite a bit of rock. There is a hole in the front of the rock where I will see him now and then, but not often. I read that they have a specific diet, that i need to be giving them mysid shrimp or brine shrimp or what not a couple times a day.

 

I haven't really been able to feed him mysid shrimp b/c 1) he's rarely out in the open, 2) if i try to get the shrimp near him while he's out, he disappears, 3) if he's not out when i put some outside the hole, the snails get there long before he comes out for it, 4) the other fish eat up whatever is floating around in the water.

 

What should I do? Is it likely that he's starving right now, or do you think he might be finding stuff to feed on?

[rsarvis]

anyone? anyone? bueller?

[Rascal]

The only time mine doesn't get any food is when I float flake right on the surface. He just won't come up that far. As long as the food gets into the water column though he always comes out for a mouthfull or two. As far as diet, IME it is anything but specific. I have yet to find a food that it won't eat. Do you have something else in the tank that is making it feel threatened?

Edited April 26, 2007 by Rascal

[rsarvis]

Not that I know of. Only fish I have are green chromises, a bicolor pseudochromis, and just got a lawnmower blenny. I haven't seen watchman much since I got him, and not at all over the past week; I hope he's just hanging out under the rocks and not dead. If I feed shrimp when he's not out, the chromises and snails eat it up pretty quickly; hopefully, I can find him hanging out one day and feed at that time. I haven't ever seen him eat the pellet food.

 

The only time mine doesn't get any food is when I float flake right on the surface. He just won't come up that far. As long as the food gets into the water column though he always comes out for a mouthfull or two. As far as diet, IME it is anything but specific. I have yet to find a food that

 

it won't eat. Do you have something else in the tank that is making it feel threatened?

[dschflier]

Mine used to come out all the time when I had him in my 46 gallon tank. I would even see the shrimp busy at work shoveling sand away. I now have him in my 210 and I rarely see him. I never see him eat but he and the shrimp are doing fine. Strangely enough when I am down there and the lights are out frequently he will be completely out of his hole just in front of it looking around. Maybe some are noctornal. I am not sure but I do know I see him out at night now.

[bigJPDC]

Hello - I have a yashia hase, and pellets have to pretty much drop on top of his head before he will eat them, and I only see it in the morning, before any lights are on. I find it swimming near the surface and then once he notices me he goes back under his rocks.

 

jp

[Lee Stearns]

I have found they will eat almost anything- Mysis is good but they will also scoop up pelets from the sand and sift the sand out through their gills- With pellets I doubt that he will starve- He will get bolder if he is hungry- Try feeding pellets in the evening- that way there will be a few on the sand when lights go out. The shrimp will also eat the pellets.

[rsarvis]

Thanks for all the replies. I did see him (or a glimpse of his face) for about 20 seconds today, so at least I know he's alive. I guess given what you all say, I won't worry too much about him. I just hope I get to see more of him in the future.

[Grav]

If it is a large tank with a fair bit of mature sand it is possible the pair is getting all they need from their digging / hunting efforts... that said, usually a watchman is, um, well, watching. His jo is kinda like that of a doorman. I find it odd that you don't see him much.