Clown goby with bloated belly

DonB · Dec 27, 2021

My clown goby has rapidly developed a bloated belly. I've had him or over 6 years. Nothing new has been added to the tank in a long time. He's active and eating. He's very shy (can see me approach the tank from 10 feet away!) and hard to photograph. The tank is 29 gallons with mushroom corals, assorted snails and crabs. Tankmates are a clownfish and a 6 line wrasse. 1.027, ammonia 0, Nitrate 20 (water change due), nitrite 0, pH 8.5, KH 240, GH 180.

LAReefer4Life · Dec 27, 2021

Poor guy, he looks bloated. Is he still eating? Also are there any other behavioral changes you noticed? Is he swimming normally?

It could be constipation in which Epson salt treatment and the addition of skinless green peas to his food may do the trick.

Worse case is it could also be internal infection or swim bladder disease. Metro + kana + focus added to the food could help with internal infection.

Swim bladder is another story...

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DonB · Dec 27, 2021

Yes, bloated but eating, active, swimming normally.

Today I tried shelled, mashed peas with a little API General Cure (it' what I have on hand) sprinkled on top and mixed in. I got some to drop on a shelf right in front of him and it looked like he sampled it, but hardly with the enthusiasm of his preferred flake food. I have reluctantly treated the tank with a half dose of General Cure. Since he shows his usual interest in flake food, I wet some, sprinkled CG on it and will let that dry to try to feed tomorrow. Seachem 3 Piece Treatment Kit, Focus, Metroplex, and Kanaplex should arrive Wednesday.

LAReefer4Life · Dec 27, 2021

You shouldn't ever treat GC directly in your display. Prazipro is technically reef safe but not metro is NOT, unless of course you are adding to their food mix in conjunction with focus to bind the medication safely.

Praziquantel is no help to you with the symptoms he is showing. I would start with fresh skinless peas and/or Epson salt treatments. If that doesn't resolve the issue I would move to medications binded to his food for possible internal issue.

Jay Hemdal · Dec 27, 2021

DonB said:
My clown goby has rapidly developed a bloated belly. I've had him or over 6 years. Nothing new has been added to the tank in a long time. He's active and eating. He's very shy (can see me approach the tank from 10 feet away!) and hard to photograph. The tank is 29 gallons with mushroom corals, assorted snails and crabs. Tankmates are a clownfish and a 6 line wrasse. 1.027, ammonia 0, Nitrate 20 (water change due), nitrite 0, pH 8.5, KH 240, GH 180.

I think he is a she. See how far back the swelling is? Most likely eggs. In some cases the eggs will be released, but sometimes the fish retains the eggs. There isn’t anything to help with that though.
Jay