Dragon gobies

Anyone with any experience with dragon/violet gobies? Goldstein's book has a cool article on breeding them. I am tempted to make a little 100 gal pond brackish and give it a go. Seem to be an interesting fish that stays relatively small, and can likely tolerate cooler water.

Um what is their latin name? I don't think they stay small since they can reach more than 18 inch long and the world's biggest dragon goby is 28 inch long.

Gobiodes brousonetti

1-2 feet is not that big compared to alot of other similar fish.

Here, from http://www.aquaticco...fish/dragon.php, it says "Dragon gobies have been known to survive at 50 degrees Fahrenheit as well as 85 degrees F."

They'd have a pretty decent chance of making the winter, too.

I currently have a dragon goby. All I can say is don't keep them with aggressive fish. And, despite their appearance, they will not harm any other fish. I read an article online about someone who kept a 24" dragon goby in with a couple of sailfin molly fry, and the goby never tried to eat them.
What other fish will you put in the pond?

If I want to breed them, they'll be by themselves.

Wait. You're putting dragon gobies into pond outside? Sounds like a very hard challenge. How you make the pond a brackish water? Plus they are aggressive to each other so provide caves for them. How you feed them with the pond conditions and I don't think they can breed for you, but good luck with the breeding and feeding in the pond. I rather have dragon gobies in 100gal tank, not in pond or tub. What makes you think it would be good idea to have some dragon gobies outside?

Well, during the summer temps would be about appropriate. Brackish water is easy. I don't see any big difference in tank vs pond care besides a lesser ability to control outside variables.

This is simply an attempt to fill a vacuum, as far as using this particular pond is concerned.

Bumping this one up. Any thoughts?

In my hometown Fresno, CA winter night lows are generally in the mid-low 40's/high 30's. How cold does the water(wetlands, estuaries, and ocean) of the Gulf get in the wild?

Edited by critterguy, 24 November 2008 - 08:26 PM.

If you really want to give it a go, just get a cattle water heater or floating pond heater that will keep the water over 50 degrees. I'd also maybe build some kind of cover to help trap the heat in during the cold season. My wife's grandpa used to keep Oscars and a Pleco in an outside pond here in Northern IL with a heater & enclosure, he had them for about 10 years or so, winter overnight temps dip as low as -20 to -40 F here in February.

Well, during the summer temps would be about appropriate. Brackish water is easy. I don't see any big difference in tank vs pond care besides a lesser ability to control outside variables.

This is simply an attempt to fill a vacuum, as far as using this particular pond is concerned.

If nothing was ever attempted. because of fear of failure. we would still be using stone tools, and lookin for a mastodon for lunch Go for it

I would try it. u might have to watch the salinity a little but it should be do able.

I think it would be awesome to try a reef pond. make it big enough to dive in. maybe indoors to keep warm with windows to let light in. now im getting off topic. lol

Edited by fishyz, 25 November 2008 - 09:50 PM.

Find a section of basement wall on the south side that can be removed, dig an "outside" pond, put glass where the basement wall would be, then cover the pond with a greenhouse attached to the house, open to the upstairs as well. Structurally more complicated than that, but as my gars grow larger I think about it more and more.....

what kind of shelter would I want to hold heat in? The pond gets afternoon lighting only due to its position.

Like the pond heater idea.

Scott: Haha, I wish.

Dragon gobies are estuary fish so can take salinity changes pretty well.

Edited by critterguy, 26 November 2008 - 01:54 PM.

Find a section of basement wall on the south side that can be removed, dig an "outside" pond, put glass where the basement wall would be, then cover the pond with a greenhouse attached to the house, open to the upstairs as well. Structurally more complicated than that, but as my gars grow larger I think about it more and more.....

Woah, boy. Now you've given Jim G. another idea...

Well, if you went the route my wife's grandpa took, he actually built a 5' enclosure out of lawn timbers (kind of a hut) with open sides and a shingled plywood roof, enclosed the openings with chicken wire (to keep kids, coons, etc. out during warmer months), and whenever it got cooler out he stapled pieces of clear plastic drop cloth over the openings. He even went so far as installing a fluorescent light fixture inside to keep his pond plants growing.

Obviously don't forget a door, too, otherwise you might have trouble feeding your fish....

Find a section of basement wall on the south side that can be removed, dig an "outside" pond, put glass where the basement wall would be, then cover the pond with a greenhouse attached to the house, open to the upstairs as well. Structurally more complicated than that, but as my gars grow larger I think about it more and more.....

Other then replacing the basement wall with glass it doesn't sound to complicated. I might have to try that one day.

Find a section of basement wall on the south side that can be removed, dig an "outside" pond, put glass where the basement wall would be, then cover the pond with a greenhouse attached to the house, open to the upstairs as well. Structurally more complicated than that, but as my gars grow larger I think about it more and more.....

A guy did just that on the monster fish keepers forum. It was something like 50,000 gallons. If memory serves I think he kept very large South American river fish in it. I also seem to recall that he had a fair bit of trouble with rust from the constant moisture.

I also remember a house with a koi pond that had one side as a glass wall in their basement. It was apparently very low maintenance and they didn't even go so far as to cover the pond. I thought it was very cool aside from being koi. Your gar would make a much better choice.

A guy did just that on the monster fish keepers forum. It was something like 50,000 gallons. If memory serves I think he kept very large South American river fish in it. I also seem to recall that he had a fair bit of trouble with rust from the constant moisture.

I also remember a house with a koi pond that had one side as a glass wall in their basement. It was apparently very low maintenance and they didn't even go so far as to cover the pond. I thought it was very cool aside from being koi. Your gar would make a much better choice.

I think that was actually a fish tank and not just a massive pond by the house with a window for viewing like we're talking about