Gorgeous New Halfbeak

[nmonks]

Are we talking about the same dragon gobies -- Rhinogobius duospilus? The dragon goby name is also used for Gobioides spp., huge, sand-sifting brackish water gobies. This is one reason I prefer Latin names, particularly with fish that aren't all that common in the hobby (I think we can all agree on what a neon tetra is...).

They're about 5 cm long, and seem to hold tiny territories. I've kept 4 in a 10 gallon quarantine tank without any problems, so I imagine they'd be a good choice.

Cheers,

Neale

Here are some pictures of my white cheek / dragon gobies:

 

[Annastasia]

Okay, we were talking about different Dragon Gobies. I like your's, those I could handle. How big do they get? Are your's full grown at 5cm?

I might look into keeping a few in a 10 gallon. But I'd need to figure out a middle/top dweller. I don't think I'd want to risk my Endlers with them. Also, are those fully fresh?

Sorry for all the questions, feel free to tell me to stop pestering you!

 

[nmonks]

These gobies are fully grown at 4-5 cm. You'll find lots about them on the web. They are often referred to as "Rhinogobius wui", an obsolete name for them. They're good community fish. They do well in fresh or slightly brackish. They are perfectly healthy in completely freshwater, by the way, and in the wild seem to be primarily freshwater fish.

The only caveat is that they are said to be rather short-lived in tropical aquaria, because they are really subtropical fish (like white cloud mountain minnows, which come from the same part of the world). I don't know what temperatures best suit Endlers, but if they need warm tropical conditions, they might not be ideal tankmates.

I've also kept them in an unheated aquarium as well, and they did fine.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Annastasia]

I really need to look into them more...They sound ideal. I'll research them, not that I'll ever find them anywhere close to me. I am going to a store in a few weeks that apparently has some really rare fish...maybe they'll carry them.

I wasn't going to keep Endlers with them. I just think it's too risky, if they are going after Platy fry. Do you think they would bother schooling fish? Like Rasboras? Or just small fish?

I could also just keep them at sub-tropical. I have no problem with devoting a whole tank to them, if they need different params.

 

[nmonks]

I think a subtropical tank would be cool, if you'll pardon the pun. I have an idea to do something like that for my next tank. In a 10 gallon, I'd have thought a trio of these gobies, a small school of white clouds, and a couple of those odd hillstream loaches would be just the thing. There are sub-trop livebearers, too. Over here we can get Heterandria and Gambusia from time to time. To former are especially nice.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Annastasia]

I like the pun, personally!

I might just do that tank. The plants should be able to survive the cooler temperatures, don't you think? I was thinking keeping the tank at about 65.

I've always wanted Hillstream Loaches, but I'm not good enough with powerheads and such to give them the kind of current they'd want. I wouldn't think just a filter and bubblers would give them enough? I do love the look of them though.

I'll have to look around for the Gobies. Hopefully this new fish store will have them!

Anyway, thank you so so so much for all your help! I know I've been a pain, and really de-railed your topic. Sorry!

 

[nmonks]

Just some quick thoughts...

Vallis are fine in subtropical tanks. Some will even do OK in coldwater tanks.

Hillstream loaches supposedly need high filtration in tropical tanks because they have high oxygen demands. I'd guess in a cooler aquarium this would be less of an issue. So I'd certainly give them a try. Providing you keep the aquarium only moderately stocked, and use an airstone if it got too warm in summer, there's no intrinsic reason why an air powered filter wouldn't be up to the job.

Funnily enough, I have an article on subtropical aquarium coming out in the TFH some time in the next few months. No idea when exactly though. There's actually a lot more sub-trop fish in the hobby than you'd imagine.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Annastasia]

Woops, I forgot about this post, sorry!

Good to hear Vallis will be okay. When I go to my LFS tomorrow, I'll see what they have in terms of it.

I thought they needed the current, to imitate the fast flowing rivers and streams where they lived, not the oxygen. However, maybe I've been told the wrong thing. I was thinking maybe only the Loaches and the Gobies. I'd rather keep the White Clouds out of it, since they are schooling fish, and I'm thinking the 10 gallon would be a little small.

So maybe a trio of Gobies and a trio of Loaches?

TFH is Tropical Fish Hobbiest? I'm not sure we get that in the US...but I'll look around for it.

 

[nmonks]

I think hillstream loaches like oxygen and a current, but it's more likely to be high temps / low oxygen that'll kill them.

Gobies and loaches sound nice. There's a genus of small freshwater goby traded here in the UK, Stiphodon, that comes from the same habitat as the hillstream loaches. Worth looking out for. Not sure whether they're tropical or sub-trop though.

TFH is indeed Tropical Fish Hobbyist.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Annastasia]

Okies. CFC and I were talking, and I decided to do 2 filters, a 10 and a 20 gallon one so that will over-filter and give lots of current. Also, he says I could put 6 White Clouds in since I'm overfiltering...so I might consider that. I really need to find the Gobies, first though. All the other fish and plants are commonly available around here, so I'm not worried.

I'll look for the other Goby too....can't say I've ever heard of it though. *adds to list for research*