View Full Version : jumping tangaroa goby?
buzzbombtom
12-17-2007, 4:18 PM
hey quick question for all you smart reefers, my tang goby went missing a week ago i went to move some stuff around the tank, on the outside like some chairs and found a dried tang goby on the ground, this fish never moved from the bottom of the tank let alone the top, do they startle and jump out of the water, i am sad that i let this happen to a fish, or could this be foul play on behalf of a roommate? i dont think it could be seeing as the goby would swim under a rock before a net could get to him. how should i remedy this problem
cliff notes
1. do tang gobys startle and jump
2. could it be foul play
3. how do i stop this
Gobies are infamous for being jumpers. Cover the tank.
buzzbombtom
12-17-2007, 6:33 PM
i will have to now. i had not idea as he spent most of his life in the tank on the bottom not moving
Fishieness
12-17-2007, 8:18 PM
i personaly wouldnt recomend covering the tank, especialy with glass. It prevents gas exchange and in reefs, cuts down on lighting. But yes, gobies will jump if startled by another fish, the lights turning on, etc. If you cover the tank, the best bet is get some white eggcrate. That way, light can still get in mostly, and gas can still get out.
buzzbombtom
12-17-2007, 9:50 PM
at that sounds like a great idea, but i have two questions, the light will eventually dry the plastic out right? and most gobys are smaller than the holes in an eggcrate right? wont this allow them to jump out still?
A glass cover is definitely not the best option to keep jumpers in a tank...
We had purple firefish at one time and I literally saw one of them knock himself silly on the glass top. He was startled, bolted toward the top of the tank, and cracked his skull on the glass top. He died less than 30 minutes later and was otherwise healthy (eating well, active, and had been in the tank for a few months).
buzzbombtom
12-18-2007, 2:30 PM
well this seems to be a big problem in the fish hobby, what is the best method for keeping them in the tank we have now got two in this thread, 1 glass which most say is lame 2 eggcrate, any other options?
eggcrate and a mesh plastic screen are the only alternatives I've considered wise with my own tank.