Valenciennea

From Microcosm Aquarium Explorer

Family: Gobiidae

Species in Genus Valenciennea:

• Orangespotted Sleeper Goby
• Ward’s Sleeper Goby

SLEEPER GOBIES

This genus is comprised of 15 species, many of which get relatively large for a goby. They use their scooplike jaws to take mouthfuls of sediment and sift the debris through their gill-rakers. In doing so, they extract infaunal prey from the substrate, such as tiny crustaceans (usually under 1 mm in length) and occasionally minute snails, larval clams, shelled protozoans, and worms. Although they do not eat corals, they may bury them as they engage in their normal feeding activities.

They have a dubious reputation when it comes to their husbandry: many individuals become emaciated and perish. This may result from intestinal worms. To de-worm a new sleeper goby, use a commercial preparation or make your own medicated food: add Fenbendazole or Piperazine at a dosage of 250 mg per 100 grams of food and feed it for 7 to 10 days.

Sleeper gobies should be placed in a tank that contains a thick layer of live sand. A good portion of the aquarium bottom should also be free of rockwork. A productive refugium will ensure that sand-dwelling infaunal prey will continue to populate the display tank substrate. For substrate choices, stay away from dolomite, oyster shell, large grades of crushed coral, or puka shell as these may interfere with normal feeding or even damage the goby.

Your chances of success will increase if you feed these fishes often (at least four times a day) with nutritious foods like mysid shrimp, frozen preparations, and fresh seafood. Sleeper gobies often hide during the acclimation period. Do not disturb the gobies during this critical time.

Chunks of rubble will be used by these gobies to help shore up their burrow openings. They also appreciate a flat rock, which they will use for a burrow ceiling. The biggest cause of sleeper goby mortality is their skill at leaping out of the aquarium. If you do not have a cover, they will definitely jump out, but they can also leap through small holes in the cover. The best way to prevent this disaster is to use fiberglass screen and PVC or eggcrate material to make a full-fitting cover that will allow the necessary gas exchange but keep your fish in the tank.