Catalina Goby

[Fishf00d]

So I know these guys are cool water fish. The temp ranges I'm seeing is 60 to 70 but know they come from cooler water also. I've been thinking what to do with a little 5 gal tank for some time that I have at my office. To me my office is freezing half of the time. I have 3 different AC units coming into my office. One of them just comes under the server room door. During the day my temps are 71-72 degrees. That likely doesn't change at night but probably gets cooler in winter.

I think those temps are pushing it. Anyone else here have experience and long term success with these guys at that range. I'm looking for close to 2 yrs of survival. I've had some evotia and trimma gobies in a biocube at home that I recently put in my 65 and they have done surprisingly well in that setup. I know they aren't a cool water species, I was just surprised how bold they are with my anthias swimming around.

Bored at work and just thinking what I can do with this little tank, other than another Beta

 

[eatbreakfast]

It may work, but the tank will run a couple of degrees warmer than room temp. Catalina gobies can live like that for a few months, but it does shorten their lifespan.

Other interesting ideas for a tank that size include a colony of barnacle blennies or a small matis shrimp species.

 

[Fishf00d]

Room was 70 this morning. You think a hang on filter is going to raise the temp that much? Lights hung at a foot or more over the tank wouldn't be an issue.

If no Catalina gobies I'd likely consider some local freshwater fish. They can take huge swings in water temp here.

I guess I don't see how the tank runs that much warmer based on my 65 sps tank at home. When we are home and the ac is running at 76 the tank runs at 76 without the lights on. Thank will rise and fall with temp my wife sets the AC at and will rise about 2 degrees with the lights in a canopy. Led/t5 combo.

 

[Tautog]

Fwiw, I'm running a cool water, or no heat tank. Temp ranges from 55-85 depending on the time of year. The wide range has never impacted anything, but less food during cooler months. It's a 60 gal set up with a deep bed, half sand, half gravel, also 2 freshwater filters, 75 and 90, regular light, and a bubble stone. I've had gobies for 3 years. I also use bay water, no special salt, dosing, or skimmer. I'll believe the key is having various items in the tank to complete the Eco-system. A live deep-bed, fish, and a CUC of crabs, snails, and worms. Clams as well. My Seahorse recently died of old age.
This tank is the cheapest tank to run, no additives, just 20 gal WC's every month. My water is crystal.

 

[HB AL]

Goldfish

 

[Fishf00d]

Not doing goldfish. Let's not act like I have no clue here on tanks. I don't know about Catalina gobies but have been in the hobbie since the late 90s. I was curious if that 70 to 72 temp was a for sure no go. I could put it on the server room and keeping at 66 but I'd never see it. It's more like a server closet.

 

[Kmsutows]

I'd get a small chiller for reassurance. My 150gal is at 78 when the house is set to 69

 

[Tahoe61]

Absolutely love this Goby.

I tried them at 70 F and they only lasted a couple months. I thought I could pull it off but was unfortunately not successful. I have seen them in the wild at Catalina a number of times and they were in areas of high flow and a lot of marine algae, very turbulent environments, with a lot of suspended particles.

 

[Fishf00d]

How does

I'd get a small chiller for reassurance. My 150gal is at 78 when the house is set to 69

Your tank temp go up that much. My house is between 75 and 79 and my tank run 76 to 81.

 

[Fishf00d]

Absolutely love this Goby.

I tried them at 70 F and they only lasted a couple months. I thought I could pull it off but was unfortunately not successful. I have seen them in the wild at Catalina a number of times and they were in areas of high flow and a lot of marine algae, very turbulent environments, with a lot of suspended particles.

Good to know. I'll stick with this guy in my 65

 

[Tahoe61]

Yeah they would not survive in that reef (beautiful reef by the way). They perch a lot and are pretty passive, they are not big swimmers. Small bio types with a chiller seems to be ideal.

 

[Fishf00d]

Wasn't sure how this little guy would do. Took my biocube down at the house and moved a trimma and evota goby to my 65. Thought I'd never see them again. This guy is a ham. The evota pops his head out once a week at best.

View attachment 20170918_184926.jpg

 

[Kmsutows]

How does

Your tank temp go up that much. My house is between 75 and 79 and my tank run 76 to 81.

I guess it's due to my LEDs being so close to the water and a mostly closed cover? Not sure

 

[HB AL]

I live fish and dive where the Catalina Goby lives. The temp it lives in is rarely above 70, usually between 55 and 65. If you want one to survive long term I would keep the temp at 60. And FYI theres nothing wrong with a goldfish IMO, they have some pretty neat ones nowadays.