Mandarin goby

[cjohns893]

I just introduced a mandarin goby to my 36 gallon. It is gasping for air

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Need more info,
How old tank, ammonia, nitrate
Water temp, salinity
Lfs or shipped?

 

[cjohns893]

Tank is 4 months cycled . Ammonia o, salinity .023, nitrate 10, temp 78.3.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

What else in tank?

 

[3429810]

What is your filtration setup?

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Regardless of anything else I guess should say get an air stone running in tank as sign that needs more oxygen.

 

[lubeck]

Did you acclimate the fish before putting it in the tank?

 

[AydenLincoln]

And make sure you are constantly supplementing pods and I mean jars and jars they eat hundreds a day.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

I hope your LFS didn't encourage you to buy a Mandarin for a 4 month old tank. The fish is expert level fish due to its feeding requirements. They only eat live copepods for food. I been wanting to pull the trigger for a Mandarin but i'm waiting for my copepods to settle in and reproduce 1st.

Do you have air pump with an air stone? Oxygen in the tank may be low

 

[john92708]

was it gasping for air at the LFS or was it shipped? wild caught or captive bred? does the fish look skinny and/or have excessive slim on its body? could just be temporary exhaustion assuming your tank is fully cycled with good parameters. oh a picture might help

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Can you share any videos or pics, is Mandarin the first fish you have introduced? What size aquriam, parameters, any O2/ bubbles in your aquarium, wavemakers directions

 

[HankstankXXL750]

I hope your LFS didn't encourage you to buy a Mandarin for a 4 month old tank. The fish is expert level fish due to its feeding requirements. They only eat live copepods for food. I been wanting to pull the trigger for a Mandarin but i'm waiting for my copepods to settle in and reproduce 1st.

Do you have air pump with an air stone? Oxygen in the tank may be low

While it is true that it is best to have established copepods, it is not true that pods are all they will eat. I have a green (psychedelic) in my 210g and a spotted (target) in my 110g and both eat frozen.
Im not saying all will, but I have been successful with them. (I also add pods, but by monthly)

 

[Dodger]

Got this little one as a rescue. Set up a quarantine tank. He apparently will eat frozen but he didn’t eat tonight. I bought algae barn pods. How many to put in? The whole bag, or just some. I know these guys are finicky. Should I put sand from my tank in with him? I put in a piece of live rock. Any advice is welcomed.
thanks

 

[DaJMasta]

"Gasping for air" is likely just trying to escape, especially when confined to a small space they will sometimes swim around near the top with their mouth going. If they are actually stressed from lack of oxygen or otherwise, they are much more likely to be almost motionless on a surface in the tank with their fins up (like that last picture).

It doesn't look too thin to me and they will sometimes protest when moved to a new space, so I would offer some pods and regularly offer some frozen and just give him a few days to settle in.

Making sure your water parameters are good and are a reasonable match for the source water (like salinity, it is worth checking the water it came from against yours if you still can).

 

[Dodger]

Thank you. He finally moved when it got dark. He was well fed and looked after. Hope I can maintain that.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Thank you. He finally moved when it got dark. He was well fed and looked after. Hope I can maintain that.

Are you QTing him out of fear of introducing something to your DT? With mandarins I never QT as they have a heavy slime coat are are generally (no guarantee) parasite free. If you have an established reef I would acclimate and put him in there. Then dose (put in) all the pods at night when the lights are out so they can get into the rock without causing a feeding frenzy.
mine eats frozen, but I have heavily stocked my reef with amphipods and copepods as well.

 

[Dodger]

Yes I was quarantining. I am getting a new aquarium on Tuesday. Thought I would keep him in QT for a week or two at most and move him into the new tank with everyone else. They will all be disoriented and maybe make it easier to fit in and find his spot? Will seed big tank then? Two moves instead of three? I have brought in aptasia, bristle worms, and bubble algae. Have learned my lesson to quarantine? But maybe this is not the time? I didn’t know that mandarins could be put straight in. Thx. I appreciate your input!!!