Stiphodon Goby Hiding?

This is my first post on Fish Lore, so go easy on me if I don't quite do this correctly.

I'll give you some background so you can better understand my question. I apologize if it becomes a bit long-winded.

I purchased one neon blue Stiphodon Goby for my 16 gallon bow front tank yesterday afternoon. This is my first time keeping a Goby. I was so excited to have such a unique specimen added to my planted aquarium with such a great personality! I have quite a few plants, and a very unique large piece of Malaysian driftwood with lots of holes and places underneath for him to hide. The tank has been up and running and completed its cycle about 3 months ago. There was good amount of soft brown or green algae on the driftwood, substrate, and glass, so I figured he would be ok to add at this point and then supplement his feeding with other sinking algae tabs or pellet foods. I also have a strong top of water current from my HOB filter that definitely keeps the tank well oxygenated with a lot of surface agitation.

I did a drip acclimation for about 90 minutes before adding him. Once he was in the tank, he cruised around and was eating off the driftwood and substrate so I figured it was a good sign he was moving around and eating for about 4 hours until my light timer went off. He also seemed fine with my other fish and inverts in the tank. All was well! Then I woke up this morning and can't find the little bugger anywhere. I picked up the driftwood just to see if he might be hiding, but he wasn't anywhere to be found in the tank. I have a lid on the tank, but it does have some holes for the filter/heater that could allow him to get out. It also has a rI'm around the top too. I looked all around the room on the floor to see if he might have jumped, but no sign of him... I'd be devastated if I only got to enjoy this great little fish for only 4 hours before he disappeared.

I hear some Gobies bury themselves in the substrate at night to sleep, is that true? Could he still be hiding in the tank somewhere? Is this normal behavior? Should I be worried? If he was dead in the tank, he wouldn't be consumed that quickly would he?

Tank Specs:

Aqueon 16 gallon bow front
Filter: Marineline Penguin 150B
Heater: Marineland Dual Temp (set to 76-77 degrees)
CO2: Fluval minI co2 kit (diffuser filled once daily in the morning)
Light: Green Element EVO 10x3watt LED
Substrate: Seachem Flourite
PH: 7.6-7.8 (depending on time of day)
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: less than 5ppm
KH: 7
GH: 11

Thank you all for your time and expertise!

Best Regards

 

Hi! Welcome to Fishlore!

Mine den as soon as the lights go out and they all seem to be up and doing their thing by mid-morning. Where they hide includes under driftwood , the sponge filter, the caves in the hardscape, the backside of the hardscape and underneath moss balls.

Yours may be in the process of settling in. They can be a bit reclusive until they have established a territory.

What else is in the tank?

 

Wow, thank you for the quick reply!

Hopefully he will show his face at some point in the near future. Good to know they can be a little shy at first.

Currently in the tank I have 4 Dainty Cories, 3 long fin Cherry Barbs, and 2 ghost shrimp. I'd like to have more cherry barbs in the future to give them a bigger school, but my LFS doesn't seem to stock them too often. Despite their current small school sizes, both the Cories and the Cherry Barbs seem happy and content.

 

With those sorts of fish, I doubt it was snacked on, unless he died in the night, which sadly sometimes happens no matter how carefully you acclimate. I would just let him lay low for a day or two. If it doesn't pop up, then go poking about.

Don't be surprised if you find it hanging off the glass like an otto. They do that.

 

Thanks Maggie for the encouragement and insight.

I'm sure I'll be back on Fish Lore with more questions soon! I started my first planted tank about 4 months ago and I'm loving it!

 

Glad to help! Stiphodons are a kick in the pants. I hope yours settles in soon. If you can, get him a friend. While not shoaling fish, they do seem to be social and get more gregarious when they have others to hang out with.

 

My stiphodon goby burrowed under a rock in my tank and made that his home. I didn't see him about 60% of the time. I rehomed him to a friend and his home is now a burrow under a piece of driftwood. He's pretty shy these days and darts under the driftwood when a human gets near his tank.

 

Bummer, maybe he'll acclimate in a couple days and become a little more outgoing. He was definitely not shy when I first brought him home. Hopefully I'll get to see him, because he is such a beautiful fish!

Thought I would give an update! He randomly appeared in the tank today, colored up and scavenging the algae on my driftwood. Looks to be doing well. Still have no idea where he hid!

 

That's great! They are good hiders, so be careful about making sure he's out and about before shifting the decor or other maintenance tasks.

 

Thanks for the advice. Do they take to algae wafers as a supplement to the brown and green soft algae in the tank?

 

They eat aufwuch . After some experimenting I've found Rapashy's Solent Green, strips of seaweed, and regular sinking pellets, frozen bloodworms, and brine shrimp, and Emerald Entree all get snaffled up.
* fed in rotation, obviously.

 

My goby loved HikarI minI algae wafers

 

I got some HikarI wafers and the Repashy Soilent Green! The Repashy is amazing. I just take out a coarse rock from my aquarium and pour it over it before it sets and it adds a nice coating of algae after it cures. The Goby and my oto cats go nuts over it! Thank you all for the suggestions!