Yellow Watchman Goby Jaw Disintegration?

[tombudster]

Hello again! I really need to stop posting in this section :(

I have a YWG that over the last 2 weeks has seen a great deterioration in his jaw. At first it was just a small brown spot, and now it has spread and seems to be getting dramatically worse over the last 3 days. He is eating normally and acting normally, but I am getting more and more concerned about his jaw.

Here is a video of the issue -

I'll attach some pictures below, I've just never seen anything like this and would love some guidance.

I do have some other questions too -

- This is a used tank, is there any possibility that bacteria had stayed on the tank while my LFS had it stored (dry without water)

- Is there any antibacterial or antibiotic I can use in the entire DT instead of having to fish this guy out, that is also reef safe?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hello again! I really need to stop posting in this section :(

I have a YWG that over the last 2 weeks has seen a great deterioration in his jaw. At first it was just a small brown spot, and now it has spread and seems to be getting dramatically worse over the last 3 days. He is eating normally and acting normally, but I am getting more and more concerned about his jaw.

Here is a video of the issue -

I'll attach some pictures below, I've just never seen anything like this and would love some guidance.

I do have some other questions too -

- This is a used tank, is there any possibility that bacteria had stayed on the tank while my LFS had it stored (dry without water)

- Is there any antibacterial or antibiotic I can use in the entire DT instead of having to fish this guy out, that is also reef safe?

That looks like a bacterial infection. Most of those start with some sort of injury. The bacteria that causes this sort of infection are commonly found in all aquariums - the infection just gets started through the damaged tissue - think you getting dirt in a cut on your hand.

No true antibiotics are reef safe. You really need to move the fish to a hospital tank and treat with a gram negative broad spectrum antibiotic like neomycin or kanamycin.

The risk here is that the mouth is involved. At done point, the fish may stop feeding due to the damage caused by the infection.

 

[tombudster]

That looks like a bacterial infection. Most of those start with some sort of injury. The bacteria that causes this sort of infection are commonly found in all aquariums - the infection just gets started through the damaged tissue - think you getting dirt in a cut on your hand.

No true antibiotics are reef safe. You really need to move the fish to a hospital tank and treat with a gram negative broad spectrum antibiotic like neomycin or kanamycin.

The risk here is that the mouth is involved. At done point, the fish may stop feeding due to the damage caused by the infection.

Thank you again as always Jay.

I am going to try and get him out of there using the bottle trap and see if I can get him into a QT and get him back to health. Time to go see if the stores near me have either of the meds.

Is this something that would be transmissible to other fish at all? I'm worried about getting him out of the tank and if he ends up dying in the tank I don't want it to be a catastrophe.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thank you again as always Jay.

I am going to try and get him out of there using the bottle trap and see if I can get him into a QT and get him back to health. Time to go see if the stores near me have either of the meds.

Is this something that would be transmissible to other fish at all? I'm worried about getting him out of the tank and if he ends up dying in the tank I don't want it to be a catastrophe.

If it is bacterial, it won’t be contagious to other fish unless they also get some skin injury….these bacteria are already in every tank.

 

[tombudster]

If it is bacterial, it won’t be contagious to other fish unless they also get some skin injury….these bacteria are already in every tank.

Thanks for the clarification on that. I'm just surprised that it got this bad considering everyone else is fine, the tank is doing great water quality wise, and corals have been thriving. Makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong.

I'm gonna go run and get some Kanaplex and Metroplex and see if I can't get this little guy back to normalcy.