diamond goby

MichelleRay · Oct 28, 2017

I just got this guy at the lfs today (about an hour from home). At the store he seemed healthy and looked good but now that he's home he is swimming strangely. His back half keeps sinking down while he uses his pectorals to swim around. He is also completely ignoring the sand bed despite looking a bit hollow in the tummy, instead swimming along the surface and on top of the rock work. He was drip acclimated over a couple of hours and my other fish are both healthy and active so I don't believe there's anything wrong with the water. Only other fish in it atm are some mollies, 2 clowns, and a tail spot that's about half his size. I tried offering both flakes and frozen brine shrimp but he ignored both. I was told he'd been eating flake so I am not sure if that's a lie or if he's ill. It's a new place I'd never been before.I don't have any anemone's or anything that could possibly sting him. He's the biggest fish in the tank too. Any suggestions or advice? I really don't want to lose this guy. I drove all that way in hopes of finding him.

ETA Forgot to add its a 55g tank with live rock and LED lighting, stock as I haven't gotten my new ones yet.

ETA2 I can see no spots or lumps or evidence of any diseases/parasites/injuries on him. The tank's been up a few months now. He is gulping at the surface, but the water is well aerated by 2 waterfalls from a filter and a refugium and again none of the other fish are bothered at all.

DLHDesign · Oct 29, 2017

Gasping for breath at the surface may be due to elevated levels of nitrite in your tank - or a number of other things...

Take a picture, if you can - that will help a lot. And/or a video, if possible - but a photo or two is generally enough (and easier to post here).

If you have any test kits, break them out and run them, then share the findings, please.

BTW - Your other tank members are acclimated to your tank, so may not be a good indicator of something being wrong. The drip acclimation can help with some things (temp, salinity), but some others problems only manifest after being present for a longer time.

Gablami · Oct 29, 2017

I've gone through several diamon gobies trying to TTM them to get them into my DT. There are a funny fish. Finding them swimming at the surface bopping along is common, and usually prefaces me finding them on the ground the next morning. They can jump out of the smallest holes. Egg crate is not enough. Mesh is needed. If you have a tight fitting lid, he will settle down soon and start digging his den.

Coralfuture · Oct 29, 2017

Yeah I'm on Diamond Jim the 3rd but that guys been in my tank for 2 years! He sounds like he is hunting for some pods that may or may not be in your system....the hunt is on! He is a crazy jumper my first 2 made crazy jumps. First was no lid and an easy jump....2nd was a lid and a jump into the overflow and stuck in the sock where he met his end...#3 I have a 7in jump for him to try and get out....so far so good. They are kind of hearty otherwise and will move mountains once settled in.

MichelleRay · Oct 29, 2017

Nitrites/ates tested 0 so nothing going on there. He vanished for a little while but right before I posted this I saw him again. He's down on the sandbed. I see some sand that looks disturbed too so he might be working on a burrow. I notice his tail is still clamped though. If not for that I'd say he was doing well. I'm hoping whatever it is he's feeling better. Fingers crossed.

Coralfuture · Oct 29, 2017

Sounds like he will be fine...try flaking him in the morning once he is settled in.

MichelleRay · Oct 29, 2017

He made a burrow last night but he left it. He built it in such a place as to bury the only coral I have on the entire floor.

So I pulled the coral out and moved it, and in doing so he got spooked. Now he's back on the surface in one corner. His tail is still clamped too. Still worried but with no more signs not much I can do.