# What do you do with a "sleeper goby"?



## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

Our LFS has a giant Sleeper Goby (_Eleotris picta_ AKA Water Cow Goby). It's been there for some time, and I'm a sucker for large, lonely fish.... :roll:

My question is kinduva general "what do you do with one of these?" 

I've done a lot of research on the limited information available on them, so I know that they're basically voracious sit-n-wait predators.... and they get pretty huge... which means that you need a big tank, with few tankmates, for a fish that doesn't do much... but lay in wait.

Is there an upside to keeping one of these? ...aside from the fact that it could solve my "what to do with our tiger barbs?" problem. :lol:

Are they interesting if given plenty of space? Do they actually do stuff?

Thanks!
-Ryan


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

You slip it into your wife's bath when she's not looking...

...then you go out of town for a week...

I don't know anything about them... but my general idea for a solitary fish is to design the decor to showcase the fish. Outside of feeding time this does sound like a fairly boring "Wet Pet".

Would it work as an addition to a large preditor tank? Again I'm not familar with them...


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

If anything, it'd make a great conversation piece. I know nothing about them either but Norm would be a great name. Named after Norm Peterson from Cheers.... Just sits there...

Sorry...


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

Thanks guys!

Almost worth buying him just to call him Norm! :lol: ....or Norman the sedentary "psycho-killer".

The LFS owner (a nice guy) ordered one of these thinking it would come in pretty small... like most fish coming into a small local fish store. What he got basically looks like a primeval, foot long, beer battered shrimp from ****. :lol: A scary looking fish that'll max out at around 17".

I have a feeling that one of these guys needs a supply of healthy feeders (if it won't take pellets)... which eats up another tank.

Happy Festivus!  
-Ryan


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## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

They are cool looking & great conversation pieces but not exactly overly active. They like a good hidy hole and wait for a meal to come by. If you have the room I'd get it.


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

Thanks, Exasperatus!

Here's the million dollar question: Any chance these guys take prepared food?.... I suppose I should just ask the LFS owner, who I know pretty well.

-Ryan


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## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

Im not sure. I know when I used to work at a lfs we had it in with some eels so we fed shrimp pellets & guppies to keep them all happy. I never saw the few we had eat (then again this was back in 94). Looking up the history on that fish I dont think it'll eat prepared foods. Its listed as preying on shrimp & fish.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Get it, and take some pics and post them already! :lol:


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

OK... assuming it's not sold this week, operation "Water Cow Goby" is officially underway. :lol:

I just need to get the spare 55g online as an interim home.

How do you guys handle feeders and disease? Breed your own?.... I was thinking about breeding rosey reds or shrimp.... or convicts? opcorn:

-Ryan


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Convicts would yield the most out of your choices... but if you really want to breed feeders then breed jaguar cichlids! You'll have a few thousand every three weeks! :lol:


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

My Dempseys have much larger broods than my Convicts... fry grow just as fast if not faster...

but yea, Jags would produce even more and would grow even faster (I'm assuming about that last part).


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Jags are like enormous convicts.... Probably why I like them so much


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

Stay tuned, kids!

The water cow goby is still at the LFS.... he's been there since late October. BIG fish in a small tank unfortunately. Not much else they can do for him. No one's had any interest in getting it. I watched it suck down some feeders last weekend. A fascinating, but lonely fish... and he's not really all *that* sedate... kinda mellow.

A price has been agreed upon... The 40g long is ready to go for his home.... and the 20g is prepped for his food. I'm starting with feeders until I can figure out a better way.

We're going in!

-Ryan


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## The Warden (Jan 13, 2009)

Will you post pics of this beast when you've got him settled at home?

Cheers


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

I'll definitely post pics!

-Ryan


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## Gino Santangelo (Nov 26, 2008)

He will live with most cichlids that he can't swollow. They tend to ignore him. The one I kept for 8 years took fleshy foods like sliced fish, shrimp, and earth worms, or anything moving that would fit in his mouth. His name was Brock.


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

Bummer!

I finally was 100% online here at home... went in to buy the sleeper, and it was sold! Missed him by a day! Probably for the better, though... for example, my wife won't have to kill me now. :lol:

Thanks to all!
-Ryan


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## Gino Santangelo (Nov 26, 2008)

Well as Willy Nelson would say 'there's nothing I can do about it now' except maybe order a little one and and watch him grow. They grow real fast. And when you get them little you can train them to take all sorts of food. I really enyoyed Brock, lot o fun.


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