Getting a Koumansetta sp. goby to eat

[zdrc]

I have a presumably wild caught Koumansetta sp. goby that is not eating. He is quite emaciated and was emaciated at the store as well. I have tried:

1. Pellets
2. Flake
3. Frozen mysis
4. Live baby brine shrimp

with no luck. I tried to get blackworms locally but I couldn't find any. I could get microworms, but I feel like they'll be too small similar to the baby brine shrimp, and I would prefer feeding something ocean-based. I think the goby must be grazing on pods in the tank, and I am going to buy some pods from AlgaeBarn.

Eventually, I would like to ween the goby onto on of the foods listed above if I can. How should I go about doing this?

The tank is 12 gallons and the tankmates are a yellow clown goby and a tailspot blenny, both of which eat the above foods.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have a presumably wild caught Koumansetta sp. goby that is not eating. He is quite emaciated and was emaciated at the store as well. I have tried:

1. Pellets
2. Flake
3. Frozen mysis
4. Live baby brine shrimp

with no luck. I tried to get blackworms locally but I couldn't find any. I could get microworms, but I feel like they'll be too small similar to the baby brine shrimp, and I would prefer feeding something ocean-based. I think the goby must be grazing on pods in the tank, and I am going to buy some pods from AlgaeBarn.

Eventually, I would like to ween the goby onto on of the foods listed above if I can. How should I go about doing this?

The tank is 12 gallons and the tankmates are a yellow clown goby and a tailspot blenny, both of which eat the above foods.

Sorry - those can be pretty delicate fish in terms of feeding them. Once they get skinny, there is often no way to reverse it. After I had a couple of issues with them, even in established tanks, I've stopped trying them - maybe somebody else has figured out a trick - I have heard that the captive raised ones fare better.

Jay

p.s. - here is an article I wrote about anorexia in fish, but it won't give you a solution to this problem:
https://reefs.com/magazine/chronic-anorexia-in-aquarium-fishes/

 

[zdrc]

Hey! Sorry to revive this, but did you try it? I’m on the verge of ordering it, but the product pictures seem to line up with that one bad review :/ thanks in advance if you have a sec to reply :)

Sorry - those can be pretty delicate fish in terms of feeding them. Once they get skinny, there is often no way to reverse it. After I had a couple of issues with them, even in established tanks, I've stopped trying them - maybe somebody else has figured out a trick - I have heard that the captive raised ones fare better.

Jay

p.s. - here is an article I wrote about anorexia in fish, but it won't give you a solution to this problem:
https://reefs.com/magazine/chronic-anorexia-in-aquarium-fishes/

That's unfortunate! I'll buy some more pods and see if I can get it to eat a little longer, but it doesn't sound like the odds are good.