Clown Goby Symbiosis

[revhtree]

Clown Goby Symbiosis: Check it out

image via anters.wordpress.com​

You have seen them at the pet store,or even own one or two of your own. For a cheaper fish they are quite cute and peaceful, unlike most Damselfish. They get their name from their similar body shape to the clownfish. Like the clownfish they also have a symbiotic relationship with something most people would not expect, not to mention the way they operate together is quite astounding. If you have seen this before you know I am referring to Acropora.

green clown goby image via aquadaily.com​

At the Georgia Institute of Technology a group of researches discovered that there was a lot more going on with this relationship than met the eye. At first it seemed the SPS coral was simply a place to seek shelter for the Clown Goby but with scientists at work this was soon a much more biologically interesting situation.

As you know, corals are known to have various chemicals that they can expel. Some of it is used to fend of predators, others are used to kill nearby corals, and some are even used during spawning. The acropora can actually send out a “smell of distress” to the Clown Goby who will respond faster than your local fire department when your cat is stuck in a tree.

THE EXPERIMENT

The Acropora nasuta and the Green Clown Goby were put into a tank, along with various other known symbiotic pairs. During the experiment, a toxic seaweed called Chlorodesmis fastigiata was situated so that it was touching the acro, which if left untouched will kill the coral. The clown goby would spend his days exploring the tank but within minutes of contact the fish would be back at the acro. The goby (or gobies) would then clean the seaweed off the coral until it was safe again. This then spawned the idea for the next tests to further understand how the gobies knew the Acro was in distress.

There were three water samples taken during this event. One from the seaweed’s original location, one from where it is near the coral, and one from the water around the coral during its distress. The three samples were added to the water at different times. The only samples that made the gobies react were the ones that were taken near the corals, which would show that the coral is putting out a chemical call for help rather than the toxic seaweed being the reason the fish respond, though some will actually eat the stuff while others will just rip it off and spit it out. Though this is barely a sliver of information, it is a step towards understanding the sea and using the information to help it any way we can, even if it means keeping our own little oceans healthy.

This goes without saying, but I am going to say it anyway: Every animal on our planet has a purpose, even a mosquito. No animal is too small to have a purpose. So what does this mean for our reef tank? If you are an SPS lover and have a fear of Acros in distress you can get your self an awesome little body guard, and they even live in groups! The Clown Goby is truly a fish worth a second look.

image via scitechdaily.com​

 

[AquamanE]

Arent they know also to nip at acros?

 

[eklapp]

Arent they know also to nip at acros?

Ime they eat acro polyps I would never chance putting another one in a tank with acros again

 

[dough]

I kept a pair in my old tank for 8 years. They would spawn in my acros but never did any real damage.

I sure miss them.

 

[_Alex_]

We had one for over 3 years. Moved the tank across the room and put him in. Few days later and he went missing. No clue were he went.


-Alex-

 

[Amphibious]

I’ve had a few of the green goby pictured, as well as the other colors, and they’ve never picked at the Acro polyps. I have one now in with the Acros in my aquaculture facility with no adverse effects. Of course I’m guilty of feeding my tanks heavily with a wide variety of feeds. Maybe an under fed Clown Goby might eat the polyps in order to survive. I don’t know, just saying...

Dick

 

[cvysochin]

Don't think of ever have another. I got a yellow one from a previous acro only tank but one e in my system it seemed to only eat my sps. It did so to the point of stn. I also noticed it never ate any food period but still maintained life. I was finally able to catch it and threw it into my zoa only tank. It soon seemed to starve to death and disappeared. So in turn I knew for sure it was thriving off my previously healthy acro colonies.

 

[neuwave]

I am more inclined to keep acro crabs in my sps. They seem to have more of symbiotic relationship that benefits the acopora.

 

[Keithcorals]

Last one I had was eating my blue maxima. It left little half circle bites along the edges of the clam. I didn't know what was doing this until one day I saw the little guy swim by and take a bite. He was eating frozen food but evidently liked live food as well. After removing the goby the clam healed but I would never put one in a reef again or recommend it as a reef safe fish.

 

[Ike]

Not a fish I would ever willingly, or suggest anyone else put in an SPS tank. They also seem to have some fairly terrible survival rates in captivity. So, one of these fish best left in the ocean IMO.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Don't think of ever have another. I got a yellow one from a previous acro only tank but one e in my system it seemed to only eat my sps. It did so to the point of stn. I also noticed it never ate any food period but still maintained life. I was finally able to catch it and threw it into my zoa only tank. It soon seemed to starve to death and disappeared. So in turn I knew for sure it was thriving off my previously healthy acro colonies.

This is exactly the same experience that I had. I had two of them eating and spawning on my acros. I did lose some delicate acros, which STN'd and eventually got really sick from constant irritations. I finally caught them by emptying my 180... I was kinda sad to see the yellow vermins wasting away in my 29g zoa tank, though.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Interesting article!!

 

[entranced]

I have one, the weeks after i got it, it didn't eat food was famelic and observed it nipping my sps. But couple weeks later it started eating flakes voraciously and stopped nipping right away. I love this fish! one of the cute ones for sure