Valenciennea strigata (Sleeper Gold Head Goby)

Source liveaquaria.com

QUICK STATS

• Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons
  
• Care Level: Moderate
  
• Temperament: Peaceful
  
• Reef Compatible: Yes
  
• Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
  
• Max. Size: 5½"
  
• Color Form: Blue, Tan, White, Yellow
  
• Diet: Carnivore
  
• Origin: Fiji, Indonesia, Solomon Islands
  
• Family: Gobiidae
  
• Insert Date: 18 February 2012
  

The Sleeper Gold Head Goby, is known by many names including the Pennant Glider, Yellowheaded or Golden Head Sleeper, or Blueband, Bluestreak, or Yellowheaded Sleeper Goby. Its head is yellow-gold with a sapphire-blue stripe below the eyes, and the rest of the body is off-white.
To be successfully cared for, it should be housed in a 50 gallon or larger aquarium with live sand as the substrate, and an attached populated refugium. A well-sealed canopy should be provided. It rarely will become aggressive towards other fish, but is territorial, and will fight with its own kind unless they are a mated pair.

It feeds off the bottom as it sifts through the sand eating mouthfuls of substrate and the food that lives within the sand, keeping the substrate well oxygenated. The Sleeper Gold Head Goby feeds on a variety of live and frozen brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, live black worms, and prepared foods for carnivores, and should be fed frequently.

A very early picture before it was released.

Yesterday our Sleeper Gold Head Goby died. My wife tried to save him by catching him when he was stuck against the overflow and put it in the crab tank. But when she told me in the evening and I took a look I saw him lying lifeless on the bottom.
I don’t know what did it for him, my wife said his fins seemed damaged so maybe another fish took him on, however he seemed very skinny to me, so maybe he couldn’t find food and starved to death. We will probably wait with another replacement until the dottyback is caught.

Someone was very happy however with the fact that the goby died, this was my Lophozozymus edwardsi. I figured since the poor fish died anyway he might as well serve as food, but where he was located the crabs couldn’t reach. So here is a movie of how the crab enjoyed my goby.


Now before people start saying that crabs eat fish…yeah they do, by they (mine at least) don’t bother with them until they are dead or very weak. They basically eat anything you smack in their face :p