# Gobies eat algae



## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

I recently ordered some red neon gobies from Inverts Factory. I have been able to confirm that these gobies will eat the dreaded blue green algae otherwise known as cyanobacteria. These two have cleared about 80% out of my moss in just a couple days.









I have also seen them nibbling on BBA, but not enough to make a dent yet. I guess they're too busy with the other algae for now.


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## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

very nice


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## Ebichua (May 13, 2008)

Interesting, I didn't think they ate BGA. In fact, I didn't think anything ate BGA!

I picked some up locally in a store here and what bothers me is that they make dents in my aquasoil. I have to level it off again every few days because it bothers me that there are mounds and dents in random areas.  Ending up exposing my slowly, but surely, carpet of eleocharis sp. japan :<


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## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

Yep, you can sort of see the outline of algae (what's left anyway) on the moss. It basically started about an inch from the top of the pic all the way down to the bottom, also about an inch from the left all the way to the right was covered in BGA. I wish I had a before pic, but it's not something you really want to remember in pictures.

These gobies also eat flake food and brine shrimp.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

nice.. BGA is pretty nutritious, full of protein.. it's related to spirulina which we consume.


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## chase127 (Jun 8, 2008)

do they make those in saltwater version?


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## Fat Man (Nov 2, 2006)

I've found that platys eat BGA.


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## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

Here's a pic of one of my gobies eating some BBA that was growing on some DW in the tank.










6 days later - nearly algae free


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

Ebichua said:


> I picked some up locally in a store here


Whaaaaa where?

And do you think these Gobies will eat baby shrimp?


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## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

I doubt they will eat baby shrimp. Mine completely ignore live brine shrimp & live black worms. They prefer to munch on algae or flake food.


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## ZooTycoonMaster (Jan 2, 2008)

cah925 said:


> I doubt they will eat baby shrimp. Mine completely ignore live brine shrimp & live black worms. They prefer to munch on algae or flake food.


*gasp* Then I desperately need some =o


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## milalic (Aug 25, 2005)

I am glad the gobies you got from us are munching away on your algae.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Nice find!


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## bobinhtown (May 19, 2009)

I have had the same results... have a pair in my 55gal, and all they seem to want to eat is BGA and flake food.. do not seem to even look at other algae, from what I have seen ..


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## plaakapong (Feb 28, 2008)

I've had just the opposite experience. My stiphodons are not visibly eating the BGA(and I have plenty!) but grazing on the rocks/wood/plants for aufwuchs. They may be eating some BGA but I haven't caught them.


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## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

Mine seem to ignore the green spot algae growing on the glass. All other algae is almost entirely gone.


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## Coltonorr (Mar 12, 2008)

I ordered 6 of those Red Neons from Inverts! I can't wait to get them.:thumbsup: I hope they force my rasbora's to school too


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## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

Coltonorr said:


> I ordered 6 of those Red Neons from Inverts! I can't wait to get them.:thumbsup: I hope they force my rasbora's to school too


These fish are efficient! My algae is nearly gone in less than 2 weeks. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. I'm not sure about the forced schooling. Mine stay near the bottom and are usually hidden in the plant mass unless they are out eating. They rarely swim in the upper region with my other fish, but are not seen as a threat in my tank to force schooling.


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## darksinister (Apr 12, 2009)

I really want some of these gobies bad!! Check out this thread...

http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=15686


I wonder if Invertz can get some colorful ones like those.


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## Lnb (Apr 15, 2008)

Thinking of ordering some of these gobies. How are they doing? Are they still consuming algae?


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

darksinister said:


> I really want some of these gobies bad!! Check out this thread...
> 
> http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=15686
> 
> ...


careful, theses are 2 different species, although the names are similar.
red neon gobie -- Stiphodon sp
sulawesi neon gobie - Sicyopterus sp.

not sure which species is the algae eating one... or maybe both do?


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## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

I noticed 2 out of 3 gobies had disappeared when I tore down the tank for a rescape. The remaining goby jumped out of the holding tank for some reason.


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## plaakapong (Feb 28, 2008)

mistergreen said:


> careful, theses are 2 different species, although the names are similar.
> red neon gobie -- Stiphodon sp
> sulawesi neon gobie - Sicyopterus sp.
> 
> not sure which species is the algae eating one... or maybe both do?


They both eat algae/aufwuchs primarily. my stiphodons have taken to eating just about anything I feed also, even seen them take bloodworms floating by in the water column. My sicyopterus have not, at least that i have witnessed, eaten anything but their usual grazing.
stiphodon get about 2-2 1/2 in. while I've seen scyopterus nearly 5 inches so they need a bit more space and a good, mature growth of algae.


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## speedie408 (Jan 15, 2009)

Interesting fish. Where can one go about purchasing one of those neon types?


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

speedie408 said:


> Interesting fish. Where can one go about purchasing one of those neon types?


invertz
or frank's... <--he has both


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## ezcry4t3d (Apr 24, 2009)

I have 6 of the Red Neon Gobies (Stiphodon sp) from Invertz Factory. They are wonderful fish and are keeping both my Spirogyra (Silk Algae, Water Silk) and BBA (Black-Brush Algae, Red-Brush Algae) completely under control in my 90g tank. They also readily eat both Zucchini and steamed kale leaves. They show no aggression to anything else in my tanks.


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## speedie408 (Jan 15, 2009)

mistergreen said:


> invertz
> or frank's... <--he has both


I'm talking about these that Odyssey posted in the link above:



























Are you sure these the same ones Invertz and Franks sell?


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## smoq (Feb 19, 2008)

I ordered 3 neon gobys from invertz factory. I'll try to post some pictures when I'll get them


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

speedie408 said:


> I'm talking about these that Odyssey posted in the link


the closest is the red neon goby. Odyssey has the Japanese connection that we don't have.


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## speedie408 (Jan 15, 2009)

mistergreen said:


> the closest is the red neon goby. Odyssey has the Japanese connection that we don't have.


Dohhhh! These fish can easily be a lucrative market here in the states. Thx for the info MG.


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## pandjpudge (Dec 7, 2008)

How big do these gobies get? 

It looks like the ones that Odyssey has can be purchased at Frank's or at least something similar to that.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

I bought a pair of these gobies yesterday, the male with very nice neon BLUE markings on the sides of his body, the female very similar without the blue.

As soon as they settled in my 29 gal they started munching away on the brown algae (diatoms?) that has settled on the leaves of one of my plants.

Very nice fun to watch fishies!


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## plaakapong (Feb 28, 2008)

Where'd you get them Rob? Pics??


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## plaakapong (Feb 28, 2008)

speedie408 said:


> Interesting fish. Where can one go about purchasing one of those neon types?


I don't think that any of these fish are fully mature yet, and since we don't know exactly which species they are, it's difficult to tell what they will look like when they do mature. Mine have changed quite a bit already but the dorsal still has a way to go. Check this link.
http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=17041&highlight=


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## speedie408 (Jan 15, 2009)

plaakapong said:


> I don't think that any of these fish are fully mature yet, and since we don't know exactly which species they are, it's difficult to tell what they will look like when they do mature. Mine have changed quite a bit already but the dorsal still has a way to go. Check this link.
> http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=17041&highlight=


I see. Thanks plaakapong.


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## Lnb (Apr 15, 2008)

Waterfaller1 noted that her gobies do not like Co2. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/fish/85911-stiphodon-sp-great-algae-eater.html From all my gobie research Carol seems to be the one that has kept them for a number of years.

I wanted to order some but this stopped me. Anyone run into this problem??


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

plaakapong said:


> Where'd you get them Rob? Pics??


I bought them for just under $10.00 each at a local pet shop, Midway Tropical Fish, just south of SeaTac airport.

I will try to take pics later!


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

If you follow the link below you will find what appears to be the male of the species that I bought in the 6th photo down. The female is very similar to those in the 7th photo.

http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=15686


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Lnb... My tank has two co2 generators attached that bubble like crazy.

So far no problems with the gobies...


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## plaakapong (Feb 28, 2008)

Thanks for that Rob, haven't been to that shop yet. Did they have more?? Are yours coloring up like that yet?


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

Yes, they had at least 5 more... and the male is very blue like in the photo.


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## Rob in Puyallup (Jul 2, 2009)

A terribly bad pic taken with my cell, then cropped...

The female on top, male below...










Evidence of their algae eating on the leaf next to the one the male is resting on.


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