Need some serious help

[Reef_Boy-88]

I have this mandarin goby that has been doing very good for the past couple months since i got him. Today i saw him upside down but not dead… I put him in my little breeder box thing and he’s breathing but on his side not looking super good. He seems to have a little bit of messed up fins but i haven’t noticed him getting beaten up. He’s been eating normally and acting normal until i just got home and saw him. What do i do please i love this fish. Water parameters have been normal and steady and no changes to the tank recently. I don’t have a quarantine tank… Has no loss of colors which i thought was a decent sign

 

[PharmrJohn]

Is it just the angle or does he look thin.....

 

[smitten with ocean life]

hard to tell for sure, but yes, he does look really thin. i could be wrong. @vetteguy53081 ?

 

[RedReefer]

I think he’s starving to death.

 

[Crabs McJones]

He's very thin. Have you seen him eat or are you assuming he's eaten? If you've actually seen him eating it could be an internal parasite basically stealing any nutrients he injests.

 

[edsbeaker]

I was thinking the same, very thin.

 

[PharmrJohn]

Do you have a healthy supply of Pods in your tank?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have this mandarin goby that has been doing very good for the past couple months since i got him. Today i saw him upside down but not dead… I put him in my little breeder box thing and he’s breathing but on his side not looking super good. He seems to have a little bit of messed up fins but i haven’t noticed him getting beaten up. He’s been eating normally and acting normal until i just got home and saw him. What do i do please i love this fish. Water parameters have been normal and steady and no changes to the tank recently. I don’t have a quarantine tank… Has no loss of colors which i thought was a decent sign

This mandarin unfortunately is moribund and will likely not eat r swim normal moving forward and likely has been starving and feeding off its liver

 

[VintageReefer]

What’s size tank and how much rock ?

Mandarins are constant grazers and need a population of pods that is almost unnatural and unsustainable in average aquariums. Frequently people supplement the tank with pods; or pod hotels to promote breeding. Not impossible. Just want to point out that people typically have to take extra steps to ensure the pod population is constantly high

 

[goosemans]

Sorry to hear about your mandarin. I’d put it out of his misery.

 

[BeanAnimal]

If you are going to try again, I would urge you not to purchase a wild caught fish and instead purchase a cultured fish from Biota or ORA. They will live off of prepared foods (pellets and frozen) and have an exponentially higher chance of survival. This is one of those species that really shouldn't be wild harvested.

 

[KrisReef]

If you are going to try again, I would urge you not to purchase a wild caught fish and instead purchase a cultured fish from Biota or ORA. They will live off of prepared foods (pellets and frozen) and have an exponentially higher chance of survival. This is one of those species that really shouldn't be wild harvested.

Agree, except that they can be bred in captivity and to promote genetic diversity in captive populations new wild caught specimens are needed in the long run.

This individual may have a slim chance of survival if the op gets some live pods to feed it. It’s likely to late but it is worth the effort to try.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Agree, except that they can be bred in captivity and to promote genetic diversity in captive populations new wild caught specimens are needed in the long run.

Ohh no disagreement there. I just don't think harvesting tens of thousands a year to starve in home aquaria is helping anything.

 

[KrisReef]

Ohh no disagreement there. I just don't think harvesting tens of thousands a year to starve in home aquaria is helping anything.

Amen.

 

[Baby Damsel 219]

pods cant see any on glass or in the container

 

[PharmrJohn]

Ohh no disagreement there. I just don't think harvesting tens of thousands a year to starve in home aquaria is helping anything.

With these kinds of fish, there really should be a pre-test on how to care for them. Right before 'checkout'. It really pains me to see this.

OP --- The following is not meant to slam you down. I aint about that. Presuming you didn't know, just research every single thing you put into your tank. And if it states 'expert only', really think hard if you are willing to go the extra mile. I had a Sea Apple in my tank at one point. For 3 years, I had to check on it daily and target feed it when it was time. I THOUGHT it would be easy. But a few months into it and I was questioning the wisdom of that decision. It's very easy to get complacent and I could see myself slipping. Had to turn that around, and I did. But it was the last expert only thing I put in.

 

[stE25wy14]

Updates?

 

[PharmrJohn]

Updates?

It doesn't appear he's even checked since he originally posted. He dropped the post and disappeared.....

 

[Baby Damsel 219]

bro is probably morning the loss

 

[JTP424]

Looks like the guy had a 40gal IM, started in approx March? Not sure if there would be suitable pods in that.