Stiphodon

[Joshuakahan]

While researching fish for my hex and deciding it would be too much of a PITA to make stiphs happy in there, I’ve become somewhat obsessed with doing a proper setup for stiphs…I’m almost becoming obsessed with the idea of keeping them.
So I’m thinking of doing this.
Getting a bookshelf tank, maybe a rimless 24” x6”x6” with a high flow nano HOB ( 100gph or more) on one end. Smooth 3” river rock piled about 1/3-1/2 of the tank along the entire bottom and something like a kessil a80 tuna sun to promote lots of algae growth. Maybe even leave the rocks in a tub of water outside for a month to get the algae started. From what I’m seeing, I could do 5-8 stiphodon, depending on type in something like this.
If there’s anyone with experience keeping these, I’d love to know what you think.
Thanks!

 

[duanes]

I find these gobies fascinating, the convergent new world evolutionary equivalent (here in Panama), are the genus Sicydium.
Where I come across them, the laminar current is usually so strong I get tossed around, and have to hang on to stuff to keep from being swept downstream.
They are so small they pass right through the mesh in my cast net, so I've yet to see them close up, and they are wary so never let me get close.
You can see a few in the first few seconds of the video below, hanging out on a vertical rock wall, grazing algae.
https://youtu.be/BES1-ql8F7c
The river Utive where these are seen is pristine, has a pH of 8.2, and no detectable nitrate.

Species caught in the same river, were Roeboides, Brycon, and Astyanax tetras, Agnostomus (mullet) and a large predatory Gobiomorus Goby (the locals call Guavina), mostly found in the deeper ares. and large Macrobrachium shrimp.


Brycon tetra and Gobiomorus above. Young mullet below.

 

[tlindsey]

anyone with experience keeping these, I’d love to know what you think.

I kept neon stiphodon some years back. They lived less than a year. Tbh I didn't supply the current they required also not enough algae for grazing. The stiphodons would graze up and down on the glass surface eating biofilm also. Very entertaining species imo. They were territorial but wasn't harmful.
Setup your aquarium get some good algae growing prior to purchasing the stiphodons. There are youtube videos on them eating repashy food. I personally never fed that product.

 

[duanes]

I kept neon stiphodon some years back. They lived less than a year. Tbh I didn't supply the current they required also not enough algae for grazing.

I have heard the same about the Panamanian equivalents, that they easily starve to death, unless enough algae is available, so
agree about a heavy algae crop way ahead of time.
If I am ever lucky enough to get some, I think I'd set up a number of algae scrubber plates to alternate, and set them in direct sun, to provide enough nutrients

 

[tlindsey]

If I am ever lucky enough to get some, I think I'd set up a number of algae scrubber plates to alternate, and set them in direct sun, to provide enough nutrients

That would be awesome.

 

[Joshuakahan]

I have heard the same about the Panamanian equivalents, that they easily starve to death, unless enough algae is available, so
agree about a heavy algae crop way ahead of time.
If I am ever lucky enough to get some, I think I'd set up a number of algae scrubber plates to alternate, and set them in direct sun, to provide enough nutrients

So it sounds like with the setup I’m proposing that I should keep less to prevent starvation and keep some rocks in the sun growing algae to rotate in?

 

[duanes]

So it sounds like with the setup I’m proposing that I should keep less to prevent starvation and keep some rocks in the sun growing algae to rotate in?

I would agree, especially rotating rocks in and out of the sun, as algae crops diminished were eaten in the tank.
I found these alternating crops of algae really helped with species that needed to constantly grazing throughout the day, as opposed to a larger alternating meals..