Amblygobius rainfordi (Rainford's Goby) and Sand Critters

[Canadian]

I'd like to add a Rainford's Goby to my tank if at all possible but wanted to know how destructive these guys are towards sand bed fauna.

The tank is 20g with a 20g sump and a 2.5g refugium. The display tank has a 6" DSB and 30 lbs of LR. Will my set up sustain one of these guys or will I be looking at imminent failure if I try?

TIA,

Andrew

I havent owned a rainfordii but I have watched them quite a bit and discussed them with reefkeeper alot. They seem to pick at critters in and around algae patches so pods of some kind are a big part of their diet> I have seen them do well in 10g nanos so it sounds like your setup "might" be close to optimal, then again YMMV. Given your setup I wouldnt tell you no, they arent as picky as synchiropus mandarins, but someone else may have info otherwise. Speakup, someones gotta have experience with these cute little guys


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I thought I was me, but we were wrong
email: geeflipr@internetcds.com

[Alice]

I did own a Rainfordi's for a short time I had a fairly good crop of hair algae at the time and a few stand of macroalgae so I thought he would do ok. I did see him hunting for "pods" among the algae and he never looked starved so I assumed he was getting an adequate food supply. Shy fish though and I never could get him to take any prepared foods, even live brine. I had a monster crab in my tank at the time that I'm pretty sure was the instrument of his demise.

With a refugium you'll probably do OK by him nutritionally but you may want to increase pod production by planting some easily pruned macro in the tank as well. I find that sword calupera is easy to harvest and not nearly as invasive as other types commonly found.

Good luck; they are neat looking fish.

~Alice

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Reefkeeping is my life; I can't afford a hobby too!

[Reefkeeper]

I have had a few rainfordi's... hmm, that does not sound quite right, does it?

ANY way, kept one for over a year- he was the only fish in a 240 gal reef at the store. gave him to a customer when we moved the store, he died a horrible death a short time latter to heater malfuntion.

kept another im my 75 gal reef-before-now. it did great, and agin, those restless reefs- actualy this move was at home, and was promped by a re-finishing of the floors in our appartment. he died a horrible death while I was on vacation, and the floors were drying- no one was able to keep the 20 gal temporary reef topped off due to the floors, and, well, many fish perished that horrible week in july. the latest, er, replacement, swims happly about the 75 that-is-now. I really dont take any credit for the continued fattening of this little creature- the only tips I can give are:
1)allow the tank to run for several months without fish- this buiulds the pod populations, and this fees the rainfordi.
2) dont move your tank.



Gene