Rainfordi goby diet

[npaden]

I've seen several posts in disagreement on exactly what Rainfordi gobies eat. Most say filamentous algae, some say they are just eating the algae to get to pods and other critters living in the algae.

I just added a pair of these beautiful fish to my 415 gallon reef tank. It has been up and running for 1 year so hopefully I have enough to keep them alive and healthy whatever their dietary requirements are.

I've also heard that they were hermaphorodites so hopefully these 2 will for sure pair up. If they are alive in a few months hopefully I will be able to start asking questions on breeding them.

Here is a pic of them. I've had them for 1 week now. Sorry for the dirty glass in the pic.

I would appreciate any input you might have on keeping these fish happy, healthy and alive!

Thanks, Nathan

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I can't answer your question, Nathan, but I also wondered about these gobies. Anyone...........?

 

[AF Founder]

I have never seen them survive unless they eat a quality flake food; eating algae in captivity doesn't appear to do the trick.

 

[GSchiemer]

They do eat filamentous algae and sift detritus for organic particles. They are deliberate eaters and often don't get enough food in a community tank. Terry is correct about the flake food. If you can get enough of a quality spirulina flake food to them, then they have a chance.

Greg Schiemer

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Thanks, Terry and Greg!

 

[Chucker]

I'd bet there might be something in fishbase too. There are lotsa links below the main entry that usually include items like food stuides.

 

[npaden]

Well, I've had these 2 for 2 months now. Still not very long but they seem to be doing well. One of the 2 has seemed to grow larger than the other and is definetly dominate over the other. They don't hang out together but seem to tolerate each others presence.

I'll keep everyone updated.

Thanks, Nathan

 

[Myles]

I've kept two rainfords for about one year. They completely ignore the flake and frozen food I put in the tank. They spend most of their time poking at the sand bed and secondarily poking at algae growing on the rocks. It is possible that they are eating spaghetti worms. I have seen retreating worms but never a worm being swallowed. I have also tried the similiar Hectors goby but was unsuccessful in a smaller (40g) aquarium as the fish only lived a few months. My tank is very placid and other than bickering with each other the gobies are ignored by all tankmates and are free to feed all day.
This is my first time using the forum so this message may have been sent twice.
Myles

 

[npaden]

Thanks Myles.

So far my pair are doing fine. One has gotten considerably larger than the other although I seem to remember them being about the same size starting out.

As far as eating goes they still seem more intent on sifting sand than eating hair algae. They seem healthy and aren't skinny or anything.

As far as getting along together the larger one is for sure the dominant one and chases the smaller about some. They spend most of their day sifting sand about 5' apart from each other and quickly dart into 2 separate hiding spots if frightened. Not sure how they would act if they were hermaphrodites and had formed a pair but they haven't ever displayed any real mating rituals that I've identified.

Thanks for the info.

Nathan

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Thanks for keeping us abreast of developments with these unusual gobies guys. I would be especially interested to hear if they initiated courtship.
Myles, check the link to your homepage- it isn't working for me.

 

[npaden]

One thing I didn't mention in my earlier post is that mine don't appear to be interested in eating anything from the water column. I've tried several different flake foods and now my homemade recipe which the other fish really seem to like but they just watch the stuff float by. They are rather shy and it is somewhat of a frenzy in my tank at feeding time I've seen them all by themselves near the bottom of the tank as stuff floats by and they have never seem interested.

FWIW, Nathan

 

[Zephrant]

Thought I'd add my experience here- I have had a single Ranfordi goby since July. He is in a 90 gallon refuge/sump with a lawnmower blenny, and a yellow watchman goby (which I see every other month or so, the little ingrate).

I have six kinds of macros, plus green hair algae, and despite hours of watching, have never seen him eat any of it. Neither does he ever pick on the diatoms on the sides of the tank (like the lawnmower does). I have masses of amphipods, that are even out in the day at times, and have not seen him strike at them.

I have a dsb that is 1/2 large sand, and half fine sand. He spends most of the time on the large-sand side, picking up a few pieces of sand, munching on them, then spitting them out.

I have never seen him even taste anything in the water column. I have tried Nori, frozen brine, frozen mysys, new-hatch brine, several flakes and pellets.

In short, I don't have a clue what he eats, but he is doing fine. Stomach looks good, and his color looks identical to your pictures.

I would welcome any other feeding ideas, as I want to make sure he is getting all that he needs.

Zeph