Quarantine livestock issues

[WheatToast]

Hello all! I currently have a citron goby (Gobiodon citrinus), two captive-bred neon gobies (Elactinus oceanops), and a molly miller blenny (Scartella cristata) in my 10-gallon quarantine system (which has not begun medication), which have been with me since 9/5/2022. I have been experiencing some issues with the gobies:

I assumed the neon gobies were paired since they were in the same tank at the LFS, however the larger of the two gobies momentarily chases around the smaller goby every few minutes. While otherwise feeding very well, the smaller goby is much paler than the larger one.
Dominant goby is on the left:

The citron goby is the one I am most concerned about. It most sits at the back of the tank and has barely fed at all, usually spitting out the food I provide it. Occasionally, the larger neon goby also bothers the citron goby by attempting to clean it. I have failed to feed:
- Omega One Garlic Marine Flakes
- PE Mysis Flakes
- Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef Flakes
- Live marine Amphipods
I also dropped in a pinhead-sized piece of thawed shrimp which did disappear, though the blenny most likely consumed it when I wasn’t looking. The clown goby’s stomach is now looking very caved in.

Any suggestions?

 

[davidcalgary29]

What are you using for oxygenation? Filtration? Agitation? I assume you have all of that covered...

Have you considered a methylene blue dip for the lethargic fish? Have you considered @Jay Hemdal's half-salinity hypo treatment for flukes?

 

[JGT]

Have you tried any live foods like brine shrimp or even newly hatched baby brine? Movement will sometimes trigger their feeding response.

 

[threebuoys]

Do you have a bowl of non-calcareous sand in which the gobies and blenny can burrow?

Frozen brine and mysis shrimp also might be accepted by the fish.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Have you tried any live foods like brine shrimp or even newly hatched baby brine? Movement will sometimes trigger their feeding response.

+1, for live foods. Grindal/white worms are particularly attractive to small fish.

 

[JGT]

Yes, just might be tough to get quickly as usually people grow their own worm cultures. The BBS hatch in like 16 hours and are very nutritious unlike grown brine as they have their egg sacs still intact.

 

[WheatToast]

What are you using for oxygenation? Filtration? Agitation? I assume you have all of that covered...

Equipment list (bleach and sun sterilized after previous usage):
- Aqueon 10-gallon Standard
- AquaClear 50
- Eheim Jager 50 Watts
- AQUANEAT 1 Pack Aquarium Thermometer
- H2Pro 20" Glass Canopy
- Blue PVC elbow
- x2 White PVC cross
- Weco Marine Pro Green Giant Kelp 6"
- Weco Marine Pro Red Giant Kelp 6"

Other:
- MarinePure Ceramic Biomedia 1 1/2” Spheres (pre-seeded)
- AquaClear 50 Foam
- Instant Ocean Full Range Hydrometer
- Seachem Prime 50mL

I also have a battery-powered air pump on hand with airline, but no airstone at the moment.

Medications on hand:
- Liquid PraziPro
- Seachem Metroplex
- Copper Power

Temperature: 80.4 °F
Salinity: 1.019 S.G.

With API Saltwater Master Test Kit:
pH 8.0
Ammonia: 1.0 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 5.0 ppm

I know this is not the most accurate test kit, but judging from my previous uses of the ammonia test (when I had none of the fish listed), I don't think inaccuracy is the reason for the high ammonia values (ex. performing a 50% water change in the past dropped ammonia from 1.0 ppm to 0.5 ppm). The fish do not show signs of ammonia burns, so I am guessing the ammonia was detoxified by the Prime I added when the fish were introduced.

Have you considered a methylene blue dip for the lethargic fish? Have you considered @Jay Hemdal's half-salinity hypo treatment for flukes?

Haven't really though about these. I will look them up.

Have you tried any live foods like brine shrimp or even newly hatched baby brine? Movement will sometimes trigger their feeding response.

Live Amphipods elicited no response from the citron goby, even when I left the tank alone and when they crawled right in front of the goby. All the other fish go nuts for the flake food I use as well as algae pellets for the blenny. The blenny also loved viciously attacking the Amphipods.

Do you have a bowl of non-calcareous sand in which the gobies and blenny can burrow?

I do have a bag of freshwater beach sand lying around (likely silica based) and a surplus of plastic food containers, though I don't think any of the fish I have associate with sand (they're all rock/coral perchers).

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I think there may be multiple issues going on here:

the neon gobies don't sound like they are compatible, and should be separated.
The ammonia is a wild card, some of it may have been detoxified, but when I see a 1 ppm reading, I worry.
The citron goby may have been collected with cyanide, and you are seeing residual damage from that.

Jay

 

[WheatToast]

I think there may be multiple issues going on here:

the neon gobies don't sound like they are compatible, and should be separated.
The ammonia is a wild card, some of it may have been detoxified, but when I see a 1 ppm reading, I worry.
The citron goby may have been collected with cyanide, and you are seeing residual damage from that.

Jay

Thanks for all the advice again!

The situation has not changed with the neon gobies, and since I only have one display system to eventually put them in, it seems best to sell/return one (though I am not sure if my LFS accepts returns).

A 50% water change was done yesterday, though I have not tested ammonia yet.

I obtained a San Francisco Bay Brand Shrimpery and have attempted several feedings of brine shrimp (after the water change). I was not adequately able to view the first few feedings, but I am happy to announce that on the latest feeding the clown goby was consuming the baby brine shrimp without spitting them out, though with less gusto than both neon gobies. Its stomach might also be less caved in than before, but I do not have pictures yet.

I also just received Methylene blue in the mail.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thanks for all the advice again!

The situation has not changed with the neon gobies, and since I only have one display system to eventually put them in, it seems best to sell/return one (though I am not sure if my LFS accepts returns).

A 50% water change was done yesterday, though I have not tested ammonia yet.

I obtained a San Francisco Bay Brand Shrimpery and have attempted several feedings of brine shrimp (after the water change). I was not adequately able to view the first few feedings, but I am happy to announce that on the latest feeding the clown goby was consuming the baby brine shrimp without spitting them out, though with less gusto than both neon gobies. Its stomach might also be less caved in than before, but I do not have pictures yet.

I also just received Methylene blue in the mail.

What is the methylene blue to be used for?

Jay

 

[WheatToast]

What is the methylene blue to be used for?

Jay

I was thinking that if the citron goby continued to decline, it might be wise to provide a bath with this medication (from what I have read, it may work against cyanide poisoning), but with the improvement it has shown, perhaps this won't be necessary. This morning, I tried feeding Omega One Garlic Marine Flakes which the goby was immediately interested in and did not spit out.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I was thinking that if the citron goby continued to decline, it might be wise to provide a bath with this medication (from what I have read, it may work against cyanide poisoning), but with the improvement it has shown, perhaps this won't be necessary. This morning, I tried feeding Omega One Garlic Marine Flakes which the goby was immediately interested in and did not spit out.

That's what I thought - methylene blue is used in humans and other animals with acute cyanide toxicity, it acts as a substitute oxygen donor. However, by the time you have received a cyanide collected fish, the acute phase is over and methylene blue no longer is of any benefit (but it does get referenced a LOT by aquarists because folks tend to over-extrapolate information from other sources).

Hopefully the goby will continue to improve!


Jay

 

[Jay Hemdal]

This could be a Lymphocystis viral nodule (and will go away on its own). It could be a slight injury. It may also be an internal infection that has moved up to the skin and broken through the scales (like Ichthyophonus). Those issues typically cannot be treated in home aquariums. Is the fish still eating well and behaving normally?

Jay

 

[davidcalgary29]

That's what I thought - methylene blue is used in humans and other animals with acute cyanide toxicity, it acts as a substitute oxygen donor. However, by the time you have received a cyanide collected fish, the acute phase is over and methylene blue no longer is of any benefit (but it does get referenced a LOT by aquarists because folks tend to over-extrapolate information from other sources).

Hopefully the goby will continue to improve!


Jay

Does methylene blue have any other therapeutic use in the home aquarium, then? I'll toss my bottle if not.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Does methylene blue have any other therapeutic use in the home aquarium, then? I'll toss my bottle if not.

IMO it is pretty "old school". I haven't used it in many years. I used to use it for Saprolegnea fungal infections in freshwater fish. It still may have some use as an oxygen donor for other gill issues.

\
Jay