New Citron Goby not eating or swimming

[JayFish4004]

I got a new citron goby from LiveAquaria yesterday and he is about as big as I’ve ever seen a citron goby.

I have fed the tank mysis 4 times since he arrived - and he is showing zero interest.

He is extremely timid - and does not swim in the tank - he just scoots along the sandbed without swimming.

I will try to get a pic when he comes out (currently hiding under rocks) - any idea what might be going on here? Ive had tons of these fish and usually they are half his size and very active.

 

[FishyFishFish]

I’ve no idea about yours, but I have a green clown goby and I only ever see him when feeding.

He doesn’t swim around the tank. I can see him through a gap in the rock and he just sits in the same place all of the time. Mine is also very timid.

 

[Sshannon]

Have you tried any live food yet?

 

[JayFish4004]

I’ve no idea about yours, but I have a green clown goby and I only ever see him when feeding.

He doesn’t swim around the tank. I can see him through a gap in the rock and he just sits in the same place all of the time. Mine is also very timid.

Green clown gobies are definitely super timid - citrons are normally like dogs - similar to the neon goby they will swim up to your hand, swim to the top when feeding, etc. i get that he’s a new addition but never seen this behavior in a citron before.

 

[JayFish4004]

Have you tried any live food yet?

Not yet - thinking I’ll run to the store tomorrow to get a few different options. Any suggestions?

 

[JayFish4004]

Here is a video to give you an idea - he is enormous - almost like his body is too big to even swim:

January 19, 2022

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Now compare that to this citron goby (unfortunately lost him recently)

Red Sea Max Nano reef tank - 7 months in

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[Townsaquaria]

I had one for 3 years in a biocube. He hid most of the time, sometimes would find him sitting on coral. He would shoot out of a hole during feeding and go back in, usually only taking one thing. You just got yours. Give it at least a few days.

 

[Karen00]

I’ve no idea about yours, but I have a green clown goby and I only ever see him when feeding.

He doesn’t swim around the tank. I can see him through a gap in the rock and he just sits in the same place all of the time. Mine is also very timid.

My green clown goby is exactly the same. He's always scooting around the bottom and I only see him at feeding time. My yellow clown is all over the tank. They're night and day to each.

OP. Yours could be timid as well but try to get a pic in case we have to get the disease experts in. I think it took a couple days for mine to eat. Definitely try live food. Yours does look large and the fins look fancier. Maybe you have a new type? Good luck!

 

[JayFish4004]

I had one for 3 years in a biocube. He hid most of the time, sometimes would find him sitting on coral. He would shoot out of a hole during feeding and go back in, usually only taking one thing. You just got yours. Give it at least a few days.

I wonder if there’s a larger variation of citrons that are more timid? All the ones I’ve had before were half his size and not an ounce of shyness. Would always come right up to you on the other side of the glass. I have had roughly 10 citrons in my lifetime keeping fish.

 

[JayFish4004]

My green clown goby is exactly the same. He's always scooting around the bottom and I only see him at feeding time. My yellow clown is all over the tank. They're night and day to each.

OP. Yours could be timid as well but try to get a pic in case we have to get the disease experts in. I think it took a couple days for mine to eat. Definitely try live food. Yours does look large and the fins look fancier. Maybe you have a new type? Good luck!

I will try - this video is the best I can get so far. He is a gorgeous fish, Im just really nervous he might have internal parasites causing him to bloat and/or not eat. I quarantined my last batch of cardinals from LA and ended up killing ‘em somehow so not fond of quarantining if I can help it.

January 19, 2022

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[Karen00]

I will try - this video is the best I can get so far. He is a gorgeous fish, Im just really nervous he might have internal parasites causing him to bloat and/or not eat. I quarantined my last batch of cardinals from LA and ended up killing ‘em somehow

January 19, 2022

youtube.com

Sorry to hear of your losses! This one doesn't look bloated to me from the limited view but I'm not an expert. He also seems to be moving OK.

 

[JayFish4004]

Sorry to hear of your losses! This one doesn't look bloated to me from the limited view but I'm not an expert. He also seems to be moving OK.

Thanks for looking! I’ll update when I can get a better shot of him. He’s kinda just circling that one rock at the moment.

 

[Karen00]

Thanks for looking! I’ll update when I can get a better shot of him. He’s kinda just circling that one rock at the moment.

My green clown goby hangs out in one small section of one rock and has been in that same spot since I got him two months ago and of course it's the back of the tank. If I didn't see him dart out for food I would've bet money that he had died a long time ago.

 

[JayFish4004]

My green clown goby hangs out in one small section of one rock and has been in that same spot since I got him two months ago and of course it's the back of the tank. If I didn't see him dart out for food I would've bet money that he had died a long time ago.

Here’s a better shot - scale of 1 to 10 how emaciated would you think he looks? I’m terrible at spotting it - that stomach does look pretty shrunken in though.

Also - towards the end - a little strange how he seemingly has an urge to drag his butt on the bottom. Hard to tell for sure whats happening there. I also have some wavemakers back there pointing in either direction so also possible he’s hanging on because of that.

https://youtube.com/shorts/GzpS02o2LEc?feature=share

 

[JayFish4004]

Here’s a better shot - scale of 1 to 10 how emaciated would you think he looks? I’m terrible at spotting it - that stomach does look pretty shrunken in though.

Also - towards the end - a little strange how he seemingly has an urge to drag his butt on the bottom. Hard to tell for sure whats happening there. I also have some wavemakers back there pointing in either direction so also possible he’s hanging on because of that.

https://youtube.com/shorts/GzpS02o2LEc?feature=share

He literally just scoots along the bottom of the tank - almost zero swimming. Otherwise seems healthy but what the heck is happening here - just saw him scoot to the front corner and scoot himself back. Why is this big ol fish not swimming lol

 

[JayFish4004]

Could this be swim bladder disease? Feels like he’s even having a tough time staying upright due to the current when he’s sitting still.. @vetteguy53081

January 19, 2022

youtube.com

 

[Karen00]

Here’s a better shot - scale of 1 to 10 how emaciated would you think he looks? I’m terrible at spotting it - that stomach does look pretty shrunken in though.

Also - towards the end - a little strange how he seemingly has an urge to drag his butt on the bottom. Hard to tell for sure whats happening there. I also have some wavemakers back there pointing in either direction so also possible he’s hanging on because of that.

https://youtube.com/shorts/GzpS02o2LEc?feature=share

There was a momentary view where his stomach does look a little shrunken but IMO he doesn't look horrible at the moment. As for swimming my green clown never swims. He always scoots along the bottom. The only time he goes into the water column is to jump at food then he's right back down on the sand. I can't say whether that is/is not normal for yellow clown gobies but it's normal for my green. My yellow is in the water sometimes, on the sand others and perching other times. Haha. I can't quite tell if he's having trouble staying upright. I see that you contacted vetteguy so he's the person to know better. I will be following along.

 

[Sshannon]

Not yet - thinking I’ll run to the store tomorrow to get a few different options. Any suggestions?

Anything small enough to fit inside his mouth. Baby brine shrimp should work

 

[JayFish4004]

Anything small enough to fit inside his mouth. Baby brine shrimp should work

I’m having trouble figuring out how he will eat if he can’t swim. He’s no longer timid but just completely immobilized by the flow.

 

[Karen00]

I’m having trouble figuring out how he will eat if he can’t swim. He’s no longer timid but just completely immobilized by the flow.

I target feed all my fish which are all goby types. I use a medicine dropper (I bought a bunch from the drugstore to target feed). I also thoroughly cleaned out some old ones I had from prescriptions. If you have live food like pods just suck some up and squirt them at him. You can also try this with frozen live. That's the primary diet of mine. I turn off the flow to make sure the food actually squirts in their direction. I'm hoping this guy pulls through for you.