Yellowheaded sleeper goby

[Tatiana]

I just got a Yellowheaded sleeper goby the other day. he seems to be doing great. sifts through the sand all of the time. My question is: what is the best way to feed him? I tried some flake food this evening, and he put it in his mouth but it just came out his gills like the sand does. will he eat brine shrimp or pellets?

[Cosine]

I don't have one but plan on getting one for my new tank!
How big is your tank and how deep is your sandbed?
I heard a good way to do it is put some sinking pellets in at night so they sink into to sand bed and he should find it. I guess you could do this with any food if you stirred it in to the SB?
good luck
I'll be curious to hear what others say!

[Tatiana]

The sand bed is 3-4 inches deep.

[Cosine]

Now that I think about it I dunno why I asked about depth
I don't think they are going to sift through anymore than an inch anyways??

[H20cooled]

I had a 2 spot goby that is also a sand sifter, I feed my tank with Mysis and I would just make sure that some of the shrimp ended up in the area where he was. He would always eat it right up.

Rich

[krackel]

These fish can be tough to keep well fed. Similar to mandarins, but not as hard.
They wont get by on just frozen or flake foods, there needs to be enough bugs in your sand to supplement his diet.

[H20cooled]

What do they eat in the sand?

[Tatiana]

Originally Posted by H20cooled

What do they eat in the sand?

I would also like to know. And how would you know if you have enough "bugs" in the sand? And if there were not enough "bugs" in the sand, is there a way to put "bugs" in the sand?

[Pez Vela]

I have a pair (they seem to do far better with buddys). Mine also sift the sand bed all day long. My sand bed is only an inch iin the display aquarium but they seem to keep it really white and turned. Mine regulary eat live tubifex worms and "prime reef" frozen. My aquarium has millions of pods so I am sure they are getting something on their own while foraging. During the night, they sleep under a cave rock and push the sand to block the entrance to the cave. I have heard clicking and I think they might have a pistol shrimp neighbor (whom I have never seen since i first heard the sounds). Really a cool fish who I think stirs the sand better than any other fish, snail, crab or starfish!

mike

[krackel]

Originally Posted by Tatiana

And how would you know if you have enough "bugs" in the sand?

Just look real close at a part of your sand bed, you shouldnt have to look for very long to see somekind of movement, those are your "bugs"
Actually, shine a flashlight in there at night, you'll see all the bugs in all their glory. If you dont see any, or very few, that means theres not a lot.
As far as adding them, maybe live sand? They multiply pretty quick.

[chlskt]

I have a yellow watchman goby and as long as your sitting on the couch he will come out and eat live brine with the rest of the fish and the scooter. He likes the frozen too!

[H20cooled]

krackel,
SO you are referring to pods then?

Rich