New to brackish water...

[JoJofishgirl]

New to the forum and to brackish water. Happy to have my first Dragon Goby... check him out - large photo at bottom of this page: [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

Today I began to slowly change my 30 gallon freshwater over to brackish. I took out almost 20% of water and added back in 5 gallons dechlorinated water with 1 Tablespoon Instant Ocean Marine salt.
How long should I wait before adding more brackish water... a week or two?
I'd be happy to hear any tips. Thanks!

[Dave66]

New to the forum and to brackish water. Happy to have my first Dragon Goby... check him out - large photo at bottom of this page: [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

Today I began to slowly change my 30 gallon freshwater over to brackish. I took out almost 20% of water and added back in 5 gallons dechlorinated water with 1 Tablespoon Instant Ocean Marine salt.
How long should I wait before adding more brackish water... a week or two?
I'd be happy to hear any tips. Thanks!

You'll need a refractometer to measure the amount of marine water in your tank. One temperature compensated would be less than 40 dollars. Don't buy a cheap hydrometer; in a big hurry they are less than accurate.
You'd be aiming for 1.005 to 1.015 salinity for your brackish tank. Pure marine water is between 1.022 to 1.026 or so. The hypersaline water that adult brine shrimp live in is 1.035 or more.
You need to change your tank to brackish very, very slowly, checking with your refractometer as you. No more than a couple one-hundredths of a point a week at a time, as you don't want to kill your goby.

Dave

[JoJofishgirl]

You'll need a refractometer to measure the amount of marine water in your tank. One temperature compensated would be less than 40 dollars. Don't buy a cheap hydrometer; in a big hurry they are less than accurate.
You'd be aiming for 1.005 to 1.015 salinity for your brackish tank. Pure marine water is between 1.022 to 1.026 or so. The hypersaline water that adult brine shrimp live in is 1.035 or more.
You need to change your tank to brackish very, very slowly, checking with your refractometer as you. No more than a couple one-hundredths of a point a week at a time, as you don't want to kill your goby.

Dave

Dave,
Thanks so much for the tips! I appreciate it. I will check the salinity and take it slow, like you said.

[smaug]

thats a very interesting looking fish.congrats.

[JoJofishgirl]

Yes, it is an interesting fish... my husband said yikes when he saw it my 6 year old daughter said "It's gorgeous!" thumbs2: Just a little difference in perspective.

[Dragon cqzzzzz<]

Hey Jo Jo, or whatever you'd like to be called. I've had my violet goby for a year and almost eleven months, and I figured I'd just tell you some of the things I've gathered about these fish since I got mine.
First of all, those beautiful, shiny golden bands won't last. After two or three years and between seven and ten inches in length they almost completely disappear and are replaced by a light bluish background with little black dots, but the belly remains white. Eventually, I think when they're around fifteen inches long, those dots are replaced by solid black coloring (I've seen pictures of this, and mine has already lost most of his gold).
Second, but I think you already know this, but they are extremely peaceful. Mine lives with guppies, their fry, bumblebee gobies, and ghost shrimp. Just remember that they're strong and have a habit of messing with the look of your tank. For instance, lastnight my violet goby dug a hole in the sand right to the bottom. Now you can see an area of glass about five or six inches across. Around it is a big pile of sand. In the middle of it, he sits, mocking me.
Third, they don't have swim bladders. If you ever walk in and see your goby lying flat on its side completely motionless, don't panic just yet. Mine has done this a few times and nearly given me a heart attack. Then a few minutes later he just plops up and swims off.
Fourth, they get big. Yours is in a 30 gallon, which will certainly be OK for a few years. But, most of the places you can read about them at tell you they need at least 55 gallons. Mine's in a 55 gallon tank, but I would dearly love to get him a bigger tank, probably when I move out.
I hope this helps you with your new goby. I'd like to write more but I have a habit of writing too much.

[JoJofishgirl]

Thanks so much for sharing what you've learned from having your Dragon Goby. I was not aware of how much his coloration will change so that is interesting to know!
I have already learned about how much they like to rearrange the tank!!! Totally know what you mean there!
He spent the evening last night burrowing down big time in the sand... I couldn't find him and then saw his little eyes just poking out from the surface of the sand and a big mound of sand behind him! I was amused. The sand looked like tidal waves. I don't mind in the least though. I find it really interesting to watch. I did make a big mistake though by not making the entire bottom sand! I left gravel on about a third of the bottom thinking it looked neat that way. Obviously I had no idea how much this guy would throw sand every which way! I'll just have to take some time and get the gravel out and make the rest sand. I have plastic plants in there with him now but was kinda considering getting artifical coral, reef plants for a different look from my other tanks. I'm not sure how that would work with him though or if it makes a difference.
I appreciate you sharing your experience. Feel free to share anything else you think might be helpful. What do you feed yours?
Jo (Joanna)

[Dragon cqzzzzz<]

When I got my violet goby I tried to feed him shrimp pellets, but he wouldn't eat them, so I got him algae wafers, which he loved. He got fat on algae wafers and he's still a little fat. But, since I got my bumblebee gobies, I've been feeding him frozen bloodworms because everything in the tank, including him, likes those. When it's feeding time he turns into a vaccuum and runs around the tank looking for bloodworms. When he does find them, he inhales them.

[DragonGoby]

Hello,
I'm happy to see that i'm not the only one to love these fish... Even if I haven't one yet...
I've ask to other proud owner of dragon gobies and they gave them very small food because they use to "filter" the sand in their mouth to grab the food (I can't find the right word, sorry...).
So there's brine shrimp, plankton, bloodworm...
Thank's for sharing your fish, and can we have some more picture of your beauty?

[Dragon cqzzzzz<]

I've considered growing cultures of infusoria for my violet goby, since they eat microorganisms in the substrate. I wonder if there's any way to do that in the tank instead of little jars...Like maybe putting dead plant matter in the substrate so microorganisms can eat it and when the goby comes along and sifts through the sand, he gets them. Just a thought.

[DragonGoby]

(ok, I was trying to find "sifting" thanks!)
I don't think you can grow infusoria in you tank because, if I remember correctly they are airborn bacteria...

Sorry that I can't help you much...

[Dragon cqzzzzz<]

They may call airborn bacteria infusoria, but in fishkeeping, infusoria is the collective term for all edible microorganisms like paramecia, rotifers, and lots of one celled animals. It may include bacteria but I'm not sure. I've read that if you take a one gallon jar, fill it with aquarium water, and put grass or straw in it, you just set it in the sun for a few days and the water gets cloudy. The cloudiness is the infusoria. Then you take an eyedropper or something and put it in your tank and your fish eat it.

[JoJofishgirl]

When I got my violet goby I tried to feed him shrimp pellets, but he wouldn't eat them, so I got him algae wafers, which he loved. He got fat on algae wafers and he's still a little fat. But, since I got my bumblebee gobies, I've been feeding him frozen bloodworms because everything in the tank, including him, likes those. When it's feeding time he turns into a vaccuum and runs around the tank looking for bloodworms. When he does find them, he inhales them.

Thanks so much... My dragon goby (gilbert) does not seem to be eating the shrimp pellets and I wanted to go buy some other kind of food for him today!
I will buy some bloodworms!thumbs2:

[JoJofishgirl]

When I got my violet goby I tried to feed him shrimp pellets, but he wouldn't eat them, so I got him algae wafers, which he loved. He got fat on algae wafers and he's still a little fat. But, since I got my bumblebee gobies, I've been feeding him frozen bloodworms because everything in the tank, including him, likes those. When it's feeding time he turns into a vaccuum and runs around the tank looking for bloodworms. When he does find them, he inhales them.

Thanks to everyone for the feeding tips on the Dragon Goby. I bought freeze dried blood worms yesterday. I had tried shrimp pellets & algea wafers and had never seen him eat either one and was concerned. This morning when I put some of the blood worms in I saw him eat for the first time!:19: Thanks!

[DragonGoby]

Congrats!!! It's always fun to know that we have done the right thing for our underwater frineds!thumbs2:

[Halelorf]

That's an interesting looking fish, have fun with it.

[Dragon cqzzzzz<]

Yeah they're really neat looking fish. Just wait till Gilbert gets to be around nine inches long. Once my mom turned around and saw my violet goby hanging on the front panel of glass and it scared her. Sometimes they look like little snakes.