Sleeper Goby with dark patch and a distended stomach.

[Paul B]

Female fish sometimes fill with eggs when there is no male to spawn with, so it could be that.

Jay is correct. Sometimes, or many times, for some reason a female fish has eggs and something happens where one or all of them die and rot causing black spots.

But those fish are normally a little fat.

 

[Ziggy17]

Apologies, I guess my question was buried.
If it’s eggs, when should I expect to observe a normal sized stomach size. I’ll google search the eggs to see what they look like.
It’s been this way for about a month, but admittedly, I didn’t document the exact date I first noticed, but my best guess is a month.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Apologies, I guess my question was buried.
If it’s eggs, when should I expect to observe a normal sized stomach size. I’ll google search the eggs to see what they look like.
It’s been this way for about a month, but admittedly, I didn’t document the exact date I first noticed, but my best guess is a month.

There are two outcomes when a female fish has developed eggs, but then don't release them due to no male being present; the eggs can be released on their own, or the fish can become egg bound. When the latter happens, there isn't any cure, the eggs harden and become septic and the fish eventually dies from that....I'm sorry, but I can't forecast how this may turn out..... I've tried injecting fish with a follicle-stimulating hormone; FSH and luteinizing hormone; LH. The trouble is, those methods don't work once the eggs have become hardened in the follicles.

 

[Ziggy17]

There are two outcomes when a female fish has developed eggs, but then don't release them due to no male being present; the eggs can be released on their own, or the fish can become egg bound. When the latter happens, there isn't any cure, the eggs harden and become septic and the fish eventually dies from that....I'm sorry, but I can't forecast how this may turn out..... I've tried injecting fish with a follicle-stimulating hormone; FSH and luteinizing hormone; LH. The trouble is, those methods don't work once the eggs have become hardened in the follicles.

Oh geez. Didn’t see that one coming. Thanks for the update Jay, always appreciated.
Let’s hope for the best.