Diamond Goby Concern

Kelsey Fletcher · Mar 8, 2018

I have a 55-gallon reef tank with a diamond goby and a few other gobys. Today, I turned my lights on to see that my diamond goby was swimming straight for the powerheads and almost got sucked into one. He does not appear to be sick as there are no physical signs but he looks kind of psychotic. The only thing that I can see on him that is different is that his fins and all kind of hugging him and he seems skinny. He is fed twice a day like all of my other fish and has never had any other problems. I got him about two months ago. What should I do!?!?!?! I don't want him to infect any of my other fish IF he IS really sick but I really can't tell!

Thanks!
~Kelsey Fletcher

Crabs McJones · Mar 8, 2018

Do you have any pictures of the little guy?

Waters · Mar 8, 2018

I personally would just leave him in the tank and watch him....make sure he continues to eat. I find that pulling the fish and putting them into QT (without any positive identification that something is definitely wrong) usually causes more harm due to the stress of being moved. If he does have some sort of parasite or disease, there is a good chance the rest of the fish would have to be treated anyways.

Kelsey Fletcher · Mar 8, 2018

These are pictures taken just a few minutes ago. He is now on the bottom struggling to breathe but I have no idea why!!

Crabs McJones · Mar 8, 2018

Kelsey Fletcher said:
These are pictures taken just a few minutes ago. He is now on the bottom struggling to breathe but I have no idea why!!

#reefsquad @Humblefish Any ideas?

redfishbluefish · Mar 8, 2018

How long have you had him? Do you QT? Any new additions to the tank?

Let's also have @Humblefish , @melypr1985 , @4FordFamily and @Brew12 take a look at this.

Kelsey Fletcher · Mar 8, 2018

I got him in January. I got all of my fish in January so it is a relatively new tank setup. I did QT all of them and did as instructed regarding adding fish to the tank a little at a time. he was put in first and all of my fish have been living together for about a month and a half now. there have been no additions to the tank other than a few snails every now and then.

themcnertney · Mar 8, 2018

Probably just cruising the waves.
If it eats and appears to be fine, its probably fine. How many fish, and what are they? What size tank? I would make sure I would have a screen top on your tank as they and any fish can be jumpers.

Edit: sorry I see you have a 55 gallon.

Kelsey Fletcher · Mar 8, 2018

yes, I have a 55-gallon with 4 firefish gobies, 2 clown gobies, 1 ruby red dragonet, 1 powder blue tang (that will be sold when he outgrows his tank!), one Rainford's goby, and a maroon clownfish. Its a full house of gobies lol!! I cant screen my top because I have tubing and other things going over the edge. I do have glass doors that cover most of the top but don't have a screen top.

redfishbluefish · Mar 8, 2018

Wow! Eleven fish in a 55....with a glass top. So you know where I'm coming from, I'm thinking gas exchange. Are you running a skimmer? The guy might simply be gasping for air.

Kelsey Fletcher · Mar 8, 2018

No, I do not have a skimmer. I don't think its that because that's what I thought so I turned one of the powerheads up so that there were more bubbles going into the water and that the circulation was fine. Also, more than half of my tank is open so there isn't any air trapped in the tank. He has only gotten worse as the day has gone on. I turned the lights off and he settled to the bottom but whenever I turned the lights on he would swim straight into the powerheads!

Kelsey Fletcher · Mar 8, 2018

I don't think he is going to last the next hour because he is barely breathing at all now!! what do I do!?!?!?!

madweazl · Mar 8, 2018

When fish swim directly into the current, it is typically because they arent getting enough oxygen (be it parasite, lack of oxygen in the water, etc.). Given the info we have, redfishbluefish is likely correct. Additionally, it appears to be rather thin and not getting enough food.

Kelsey Fletcher · Mar 8, 2018

I agree on the food part. But i watch all of my fish eat so that they are all getting food. so how do I fix the gas situation?!?!?!

LJLKRL05 · Mar 8, 2018

Put an airstone in the tank and see if it helps.

4FordFamily · Mar 8, 2018

How long has the tang been operational? With that many fish and a very new tank I’m thinking bio load is so high that it’s caused ammonia poisoning.

Also, a 55 gal is too small even for a juvenile powder blue.

miyags · Mar 8, 2018

Don't Diamond gobies need a well established sand bed to feed properly.It looks starved to me.

madweazl · Mar 8, 2018

miyags said:
Don't Diamond gobies need a well established sand bed to feed properly.It looks starved to me.

They readily accept food introduced to the tank so as long as you feed the tank multiple times each day, they do just fine.

Reef man 89 · Mar 8, 2018

I feed my diamond gobby cut up pieces of krill and he absolutely loves it. You could try feed him alittle more then what you are feeding him now. He definitely look quite thin in his stomach area. You could always aim one of your power head to the surface to help with the gas exchange. Or add a skimmer or air stone.

Kelsey Fletcher · Mar 8, 2018

He ended up dying a few minutes after I sent the last message

. He was eating perfectly fine so I don't know why he died. The tank has only been running since December of last year and I got him a month after that so he couldn't have starved for 2 months. A juvenile powder blue tang can fit in a 55 gallon. I am watching his growing and will be selling him in a few months though and will probably get a smaller tang instead of that kind. they are kind of butts that eat everything!!