do you keep your Bumble Bee Gobies with any shrimp, crabs, or snails?

[mellowvision]

I love these little guys, but have inverts in my tanks. I know the gobies eat brine shrimp etc, but have heard nothing but speculation as to whether they'd eat larger ones. I'm looking to hear from gobi owners as to their experiences.

thanks!

 

[PPMN]

My BB goby is an inch and a half (roughly) and he hasn't touched the cherry shrimp or snails. I'd say you're for sure safe with snails...but depends how large the shrimp are.

 

[mellowvision]

we're talking about fully mature amano shrimp.

 

[vampie]

My BBGs don't bother any inverts. They wouldn't be too interested in anything that isn't small and swimming in the water column.

 

[PPMN]

Amano shrimp are too large to eat....you'll be fine

 

[mellowvision]

I love hearing opinions that match my hopes. lol... I really want a little bumble bee for my brackish tank. I've seen them locally... I think I might just do it.

so close.

 

[PPMN]

BB gobies are soooooooooooooooooo adorable! I mistakenly bought two for my freshwater tank, not knowing they needed brackish (no, pet store didn't have them in brackish water). One died after a few days, but the other little guy is doing great, I love him. My plan is to get another tank to set up to give him the water conditions he needs, but currently am wayyyyyyyyy too poor. As long as he's doing well I don't mind waiting till I have some cash, if he were to start to look different I'd give him to someone who had brackish. I know they can survive quite a while in FW. Anyway, he loves blackworms. Amazingly he spits out live brine shrimp, but will eat frozen if forced.


I didn't know amano shrimp could be in brackish water, what about cherry's?

 

[vampie]

To my knowledge, none of the BBG species actually need brackish water. I've kept nearly all of mine in freshwater. Cutest darn things ever.

Cherries can't go in brackish.

 

[mellowvision]

yeah, it sounds near impossible to tell which BBG species prefer brackish over fresh, but they all will do fine in fresh... just what I remember reading. Amanos actually sound like they'll do great in brackish water, as they natively breed in brackish waters. I won't be able to breed them, because the larvae need full salinity as part of their development. I'm not going there. this tank will never go beyond 1.005, unless I screw up.

 

[vampie]

They'll do fine in either fresh or brackish. Usually poor health or death has to do more with bad/unstable parameters, not feeding well or acclimatization.

Though back on the cherry subject, I just remembered about Halocaridina rubra, which might be able to be a cherry "alternative" in brackish. It's a red algae-eating shrimp that reaches about 0.6" or so, and lives and breeds in brackish. PITA to find tankmates for that I'm sure. The only other red brackish shrimp I know of is the redfront, which looks more like a fancy ghost shrimp.