Fire fish goby with white blobs coming out.

[mitchellr]

Just wondering what this might be. Have not seen it before. I initially thought it was fine sand grains sticking to him. But he has lately been just floating around letting the current take him knocking into things. So I turned off the wave maker however he also has been laying around which is not his normal behavior.




View attachment 20251219_171738_090A3AAA-098B-43C1-BFF9-91536EAE7998.mov

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just wondering what this might be. Have not seen it before. I initially thought it was fine sand grains sticking to him. But he has lately been just floating around letting the current take him knocking into things. So I turned off the wave maker however he also has been laying around which is not his normal behavior.

Can be excess mucus especially f fed mysis shrimp or eggs which I dont believe are eggs

 

[mitchellr]

Just wondering what this might be. Have not seen it before. I initially thought it was fine sand grains sticking to him. But he has lately been just floating around letting the current take him knocking into things. So I turned off the wave maker however he also has been laying around which is not his normal behavior.

Can be excess mucus especially f fed mysis shrimp or eggs which I dont believe are eggs

I thought about that but I alternate between frozen brine and MarinePlus flakes.

What is mainly weird is that he is just floating around odd. Letting his tail bob up to the surface. He was initially smacking into things with the wave maker on. I just placed him into the QT tank and within minutes got sucked up to the filter. So I put him in a basket.

 

[BoaConservationist]

parasitic copepods Caligidae aka sea lice (would need to do several things to check what species specifically but IIRC that looks like calig) my dms are open if u need help

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I thought about that but I alternate between frozen brine and MarinePlus flakes.

What is mainly weird is that he is just floating around odd. Letting his tail bob up to the surface. He was initially smacking into things with the wave maker on. I just placed him into the QT tank and within minutes got sucked up to the filter. So I put him in a basket.

This species has a parasitic copepod that you can’t see until the females produce an egg mass outside of the fish. This is the right size and location for that, but that copepod has eggs that look more like a spiral, not balks like this.