Clown goby sitting on sps [Archive]

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labnjab

12-31-2008, 11:41 PM

Within the last 2 weeks our clown goby started sitting on zoas and other soft coral, which to me is perfectly ok, but today I noticed it sitting on some of our sps, particularly pocilpora and purple nana. I know a clown fish can damage sps, but they don't stop moving so it would be easy to do damage, but the clown goby just sits and stays still. Would he do any long term harm to the sps, or will it be ok? Is there any way to get him to stop doing this if it will do harm? Right now it just looks like he's trying to find a new resting spot, but isn't trying out any softies, just sps.

If the clown goby has to go, then it ok. We spent alot more money on the sps then we did on the goby, so we could find him a new home. Thanks for any help

Rue

12-31-2008, 11:45 PM

I'd have to double check, but I think that's what clown gobies are supposed to do...sit in the SPS...so he's not doing anything wrong at all!

labnjab

12-31-2008, 11:48 PM

I thought I read that, too but wasn't too sure if it was sps or softies. All I knew was they liked to sit on coral, but didn't know if they did any harm. Thank you

edit: sorry for this dumb question, lol, I just did a search and it said the perfect tank would have branching coral, lol. Should have searched before posting

Fishguy2727

01-01-2009, 01:29 AM

They naturally inhabit Acropora spp., hence their flattened body to get around in it.

They usually do no major harm, unless the coral is really small. They may irritate the polyps on the exact spot they pick, but on a healthy, medium to large coral that should not be an issue. If it is a little frag it could be too much.

I have an acropora skeleton in my tank for mine. They don't care if it is live or dead.

labnjab

01-01-2009, 01:35 AM

right now their small frags, so I will keep an eye on him and the sps, thanks for the info. He can't seem to make up his mind at this point, lol

labnjab

01-02-2009, 04:09 PM

I think he's made up his mind, he hardly strays from it, other then to eat or see what the clownfish are doing. BTW does anyone know what coral that it, when we purchased some coral recently, it was thrown in. Thank you

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/jabsgirlforever/100_0053.jpg

Fishguy2727

01-02-2009, 10:47 PM

From the pic it looks like some sort of leather, a soft coral.

labnjab

01-02-2009, 11:59 PM

I don't think its a softie, its hard, I'll try and get a better pic without him on it

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/jabsgirlforever/100_0043.jpgthe polyps haven't come out fully, but I think that's partially due to us not having our t-5's up yet, although it is high up in the tank

Fishguy2727

01-03-2009, 01:15 AM

Leathers are pretty hard. Google image leather corals.

labnjab

01-03-2009, 01:21 AM

Maybe it is now that you mention it. I'll post another pic when it opens its polyps. I've been waiting on my new light all week, if its not here tomorrow it better be Monday or someones getting a call, lol

labnjab

01-03-2009, 04:41 AM

According to the guy we got it from its a Larry Jackson and I think its a type of Acropora, which makes sense why the clown goby is hanging out in it, as you said previously they naturally inhabit it. Cool, that works out good, if that's indeed what it is. It was a freebie

cocoa_pleco

01-03-2009, 05:09 AM