Fish ID - possibly mis-identified engineer goby?

[PotatoPig]

So this weekend I got what I thought was a juvenile (approx 1 1/2”) engineer goby at the LFS, but am wondering if it’s something else. Reason is my understanding of the engineer goby (technically not a goby, but anyway) is it likes to burrow and hide out in rocks, etc.

This thing has ZERO interest in the rockwork and hasn’t attempted to hide anywhere - it’s been hanging out and actively swimming in the water column non-stop for four days now. So the behavior isn’t what I’d expected, but I could be wrong in my expectations.

One note on appearance - the middle third is a lighter grey than the black at the front and back - like a faint vertical stripe, you can kinda see it in the pics.

Photos, and apologies for the so-so quality, this thing is always on the move:

 

[i cant think]

So this weekend I got what I thought was a juvenile (approx 1 1/2”) engineer goby at the LFS, but am wondering if it’s something else. Reason is my understanding of the engineer goby (technically not a goby, but anyway) is it likes to burrow and hide out in rocks, etc.

This thing has ZERO interest in the rockwork and hasn’t attempted to hide anywhere - it’s been hanging out and actively swimming in the water column non-stop for four days now. So the behavior isn’t what I’d expected, but I could be wrong in my expectations.

One note on appearance - the middle third is a lighter grey than the black at the front and back - like a faint vertical stripe, you can kinda see it in the pics.

Photos, and apologies for the so-so quality, this thing is always on the move:

Definitely an engineer goby, juveniles don’t burrow but adults definitely do

 

[PotatoPig]

Definitely an engineer goby, juveniles don’t burrow but adults definitely do

Interesting, you’d think the little ones would also be inclined to hide out.

 

[littlefoxx]

Interesting, you’d think the little ones would also be inclined to hide out.

Yep engineer. And no the juveniles dont hide or dig. They swim like usual fish. When they get bigger they start to burrow. Raised mine from a tiny baby to an adult!

 

[cdnco2004]

I have a fat 13" Engineer Goby. Hardly ever comes out of the rocks. When was young spent all the time free swimming stayed out of the rocks. I have read that divers have observed that the Juvinalls would bring food back to the rocks for adults. Real interesting behavior. I added a new 2.5" Cleaner Wrasse a few days ago and the goby really does NOT like the Cleaner. If the Cleaner goes into the lowest sections of the rocks the Goby will chase it all around the tank before giving up and going back under the rocks. I have seen the Goby more in the last 3 days than I have in the previous 6 months. Its interesting. I have 2 small 1" Cleaner Gobies that live in the lower rock work and the Engineer Goby completely ignores them but sure has it in for the Wrasse.

 

[Saltyanimals]

I have a fat 13" Engineer Goby. Hardly ever comes out of the rocks. When was young spent all the time free swimming stayed out of the rocks. I have read that divers have observed that the Juvinalls would bring food back to the rocks for adults. Real interesting behavior. I added a new 2.5" Cleaner Wrasse a few days ago and the goby really does NOT like the Cleaner. If the Cleaner goes into the lowest sections of the rocks the Goby will chase it all around the tank before giving up and going back under the rocks. I have seen the Goby more in the last 3 days than I have in the previous 6 months. Its interesting. I have 2 small 1" Cleaner Gobies that live in the lower rock work and the Engineer Goby completely ignores them but sure has it in for the Wrasse.

nice. 13" is mostly grown from what I've read. I've had mine for maybe 1.5-2 years and he's maybe 6". Mostly stays in his area under the rock in a 180G system. I know the temperament is they don't come out except around feeding time. Mine fits that mold for sure. Question as for food since you've raised yours to adulthood. As mine rarely comes out, the pellet feeding will never get low enough to the sand for it to feed with much more aggressive eater in the take. The flakes as a food blizzard will, but it's not a large amount if I'm being real. Given I've raised it for 2 yrs, it's growing. I'm concerned it may not be getting enough food. Looks healthy visually. How much do you feed yours and would you say they're big eaters?

 

[cdnco2004]

Yeah 13" is pretty much full grown. She is almost 2 years old. I feed mine New Life Spectrum Thera A size large and regular pellets. They sink fast and she eats those. When I feed frozen, she will come out a few inches to catch the food in the water column. I don't turn off my pumps, so it gets circulated all over the tank. I also like the feeding frenzy it causes in my fish when the frozen blows all around the tank. But I think she gets most of her food from the large pellets. She is big and FAT so I know she gets enough.

 

[cdnco2004]