Diamond Watchman Goby (Valenciennea puellaris)

Diamond Watchman Goby

Scientific Name: Valenciennea puellaris
Family: Gobiidae


About the Diamond Watchman Goby

Species Type: Saltwater Fish
Category: Blennies, Jawfish, Gobies, and Sandperch

Care Level: Easy. Ships well and acclimates well to the home aquarium. Accepts dried foods eagerly and quickly after acclimation. Is resistant to disease. An overall good choice for the new saltwater hobbyist.
Origin: Fiji, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Vanuatu
Compatibility/Temperament: A peaceful timid Goby that should not be kept with aggressive fish. It is a great community fish. Although generally peaceful towards tankmates it can be territorial towards its own kind and other similar Gobies. Can be kept in pairs if they are a proven mated male/female pair. If planning on getting multiple gobies; it is best to get them simultaneously for lessened problems with territory.

Description

A timid fish that will dart away and hide if startled. It will also burrow and sift through the substrate, this keeps the substrate well oxygenated and generally free from pests like algae. Must be provided with a live sand substrate and plenty of caves to hide in. Be sure any live rock is secure as this fish will dig through substrate and can cause collapse if rock is not secure. Be sure the tank has a secure lid as these fish can jump.When first introduced they are generally timid and will quickly find a hiding spot and only come out at night and possibly during daytime feeding. It is easily startled and will constantly retreat to its sand bed for any reason. After a month, it should be fully comfortable with people and will start to come out during the day to sift through your sand. It keeps sand looking white because it turns it over while eating. Provided at least a few hiding spaces, jumping will not be a problem. Will not attack invertabrates for the most part. Only small coepods living in the sand

Diamond Watchman Goby Diet

The Diamond Watchman Goby feeds off the bottom as it sifts through the sand. Its diet should include a variety of live and frozen brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, live black worms, and prepared foods for carnivores. It should be fed frequently.

Size

As juvenile fish they are roughly 1"-2". As adults they usually get 5"-6" but does not usually surpass 6"

Minimum Tank Suggestion

30 Gallons

Ideal water parameters for Diamond Watchman Goby

Marine fish are highly sensitive animals with very specific care requirements. Most all saltwater species will require similar water conditions, designed to replicate that of natural seawater. Ammonia and nitrite levels should absolute zero, temperature at 76F to 80F, and salinity at 1.024 to 1.026. Although some fish are tolerant of lower levels of Nitrate, the goal in every aquariums should be to keep Nitrate as close to zero as possible, and certainly under 20ppm. Finally, maintaining a stable pH of 8.0 to 8.4 is desired. Achieving this is made easier by monitoring alkalinity, which should be kept at 8-12 DKH, and calcium, which is targeted at 400 to 460ppm.

Contributing Members

The following members have contributed to this profile: FrightyDog