Diamond goby not sand sifting

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have done 2 fw dip last week. Once on Tuesday for 2 minutes and the 2nd fw dip was I believe Thursday for 3 minutes. Last week Monday I started him on prazi pro and currently still on the treatment. Half the tank has very fine sand and the other has Carib arag sand that is fairly fine I’d say. The temperature has been around 81 but I’m turning it down today to 78 maybe even lower. That’s about all I have done. The only thing I’ve seen change is that he finally has one of his eyes back. The other one seems to be completely dead.

best,

I would hold the water temperature at 78/79.

You should do a second Prazipro 8 days after the first treatment, doing a 30% water change first.

I can’t tell you by looking if the fish also has a secondary bacterial infection, but overall, it seems to be improving, so I think not.

Jay

 

[juniorgomez708]

I would hold the water temperature at 78/79.

You should do a second Prazipro 8 days after the first treatment, doing a 30% water change first.

I can’t tell you by looking if the fish also has a secondary bacterial infection, but overall, it seems to be improving, so I think not.

Jay

I will have the temp at 78 and add the second dose tomorrow. Hopefully after another week he shows normality. Thanks Jay

 

[MasterOfNone]

I have one of these little guys. I got it quite young and it didn't sift at all, it hid in its cave and only came out to snatch up food drifting by. Now that it is a little bigger it sits outside the mouth of its cave and occasionally digs a worm out of the sand, but mostly eats what I give the rest of the fish.

 

[juniorgomez708]

I have one of these little guys. I got it quite young and it didn't sift at all, it hid in its cave and only came out to snatch up food drifting by. Now that it is a little bigger it sits outside the mouth of its cave and occasionally digs a worm out of the sand, but mostly eats what I give the rest of the fish.

That’s really weird. I heard they all sandsift. How long have you had it?

 

[MasterOfNone]

About 6 months. It seems that it is starting to sift a little as it grows and gets more confident. They are naturally timid fish. My sand is very fine and should be no issue for it, but I am thinking that mine doesn't fully sift because it is young and because it gets enough food from my feedings.

 

[juniorgomez708]

About 6 months. It seems that it is starting to sift a little as it grows and gets more confident. They are naturally timid fish. My sand is very fine and should be no issue for it, but I am thinking that mine doesn't fully sift because it is young and because it gets enough food from my feedings.

Maybe? I never have had one before but I’ve seen little baby ones sift and be very active. Mine id say is fully grown. It’s around 5 inches.

 

[juniorgomez708]

I will have the temp at 78 and add the second dose tomorrow. Hopefully after another week he shows normality. Thanks Jay

Hi Jay,

do you happen to know if the goby ends up getting better, will he be able to survive in DT with just one eye?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi Jay,

do you happen to know if the goby ends up getting better, will he be able to survive in DT with just one eye?

Tough to say - I’ve worked with a number of one eyed fish, but never a goby. Should be ok though. The big problem I have with one eyed fish is in with reef sharks, they tend to get blindsided then.
Jay

 

[moz71]

Tough to say - I’ve worked with a number of one eyed fish, but never a goby. Should be ok though. The big problem I have with one eyed fish is in with reef sharks, they tend to get blindsided then.
Jay

Lol. Did you intend to make a funny? “Blindsided”.

 

[juniorgomez708]

Tough to say - I’ve worked with a number of one eyed fish, but never a goby. Should be ok though. The big problem I have with one eyed fish is in with reef sharks, they tend to get blindsided then.
Jay

Okay thank you. Today I gave the goby a 10 min rodi water bath and he did not go crazy at all. He is now back in the DT hoping he will survive. I will keep everyone posted!

 

[Robert Ranciato]

There is not enough sand in that tank for him to be happy

I disagree that looks like enough sand. It has to be Dinos

 

[juniorgomez708]

I disagree that looks like enough sand. It has to be Dinos

There’s definitely enough sand. I have like a 2-3 inch bed on my 240 gallon tank.

 

[juniorgomez708]

Hello all,

after a couple of weeks of reintroducing the diamond goby into the display tank I still have not seen him sand sift! He looks to be doing much better but only had 1 eye so he definitely has trouble swimming now. At this point I’m not really sure what to do with him. I continue to target feed him and will eat but he always coughs after eating. I just think that’s maybe bc he shouldn’t be eating frozen, instead should be sifting the sand to eat.
Just wanted to update everyone here.

 

[KeepSwimming]

Thanks for the update. I wonder if he has an injury may be preventing him from sifting. I wouldn’t expect for him to get enough nutrition from the sand bed alone. Have you tried sinking pellets?

 

[juniorgomez708]

Thanks for the update. I wonder if he has an injury may be preventing him from sifting. I wouldn’t expect for him to get enough nutrition from the sand bed alone. Have you tried sinking pellets?

He doesn’t eat pellets. Sometimes he will take some flakes but frozen food is what he will try eating.