# Dragon Fish, Violet Goby, gobioides broussonetti



## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Names: gobioides broussonetti, violet goby, dragonfish 

Tank size: Min 55 gallons is best. These guys can get pretty big but they also need thier own hiding space.

Breeding:Not recomended, larval stage needs full marine. Please feel free to comment if anyone has a specific steps on how to breed these guys

Feeding:These fish are filterfeeders and can be very picky! Most reasons for loosing a dragon is because they slowly starve to death. I feed mine dahpnia, brine shrimp, baby brine, zoo plankton (if avail) flakes and shrimp pellets. They usually eat at night but will learn to take foods during the day. 
When they are hungry they tend to cruse the tank... and gape at the surface.
Mine have never taken small fish...but some people think they do, mine never have. As long as they are well fed they are peaceful.
 
Water: water should be around 23-25degree's C Ph nutral as far as i have seen. These guys can go between marine, brackish to freshwater. They do tend to do much better with a bit of salt in thier water.
If going brackish a specific gravity of 1.008 seems to be the number. Or two teaspoons per gallon. The trick i hear is to keep adding little bits of salt untill the slimyness on them seems to go away. This should be done slowly and carefully...
I personally have had my pair for more than 2 years with no problems in freshwater. Just the colour isnt as wonderful as it could be.
 
Comments:Great fish to have! Unqiue and a very welcomed addtion to any tank. Just try to keep bottom dwelling numbers to a min with a dragon. Plecos, especially sailfins can be a bit pushy towards the dragons. 
Its hard to keep these guys fed well enough so low compition for food helps. 
Also, try not to keep more than a pair. Or at least provide soft soil, sand or gravel for a bit of burrowing and lots of PVC piping. These guys do grow teeth and they use them when they fight for space.
Mine also like to move my gravel and dig out tunnels under my decor. They seem to like digging out the corners of the tank from time to time as well. 








(sorry about the crummy pic, i'll get a better one promise! ^_^)

Please feel free to post any comments or concerns you may have!


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## Grey Legion (Mar 20, 2006)

Pretty cool looking fish, not really somehing I would want to house but still oddballs are cool !

You also provided excellent data on that fish which made it better to undertsand it.

Good Job !!


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Thanks so much


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Aweee.... Lost my dragon just yesterday..
I had the thing for almost 3 or 4 years. I'll miss them, a really wonderful fish.

I highly recomend having the brackish water. I was tight on space and the dragons shared the tank with some non salt tolerent fish. 

Also.. having them as the main fish of the tank will make it easier to keep them well fed. It was a challange with the angle stealing a lot of the food.. I usually had to resort to overfeeding in hopes the dragons got in enough food.

Definatly hope to have these again..


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## ranmasatome (Mar 14, 2006)

Sorry to hear jess..


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Thanks Ran...


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