engineer, convict, worm...they're gobies.

kittyhazelton

I eat sushi
Aug 15, 2005
198
0
0
42
Hartford, VT
elfwood.lysator.liu.se
has anyone had any eperience with these guys? From what I can tell they are called Engineer or Convict Gobies.
All the info I've read about them says the get either 3" or 20" mine are currently 6 inches. I've had these guys for 5 months and they are tough little buggers. They've been extremly peacful with any other fish I've had in the tank, have never harmed any of my inverts, and the only disturbance they've ever caused me is the constant digging nder the rockwork.

gobi1.jpg gobi2 copy.jpg
 
Engineer goby = convict blenny. Same fish, different names. I had a pair for a long time. They get up to 12 inches. Females are bit rounder than the males, and a bit larger. I had to tear my tank apart when mine were about a year old, and the female would not allow the male back into the holes, and he died from stress. When the tanks were moved into the 120's, we used a much finer substrate, and her digging resulted in a solid cloud in the tank--couldn't see more than an inch or two into the tank without heavy mechanical filtration (swapping out filter pads twice daily, 10X an hour turnover). So, she was taken to the store, and is still in the display tank there. Interesting fish, but not reef appropriate, IMO.
 
Thanks, I just wanted to know from someone elses experience how big they got. How long did it take for yours to get that big?
I am def. gonna be trading these guys for something more aproriate for my tank. didn't realise how big they would get when I got them. I mistook them for neon gobies.
 
Hi, I've got 2 of em'. One is about 14"s & the other bout 12-13's. They do make their home anywhere they feel. They do dig but then it makes My tank look more realistic. I like them but unfortunatly I'm moving & No Tank at the New House! It took about 2 years for them to get that size from about 2.5 inches long. They'll eat out of my hands. There was an article in National Geographic about them.Really interesting. Their never been studied before & one of the only known reef fish that the Babies come home to the parents .
There was some links in it. I'll try & find the month magazine & links. Great Site wish I knew about it before !

Tug
 
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