I have a Dracula Goby that I purchased in June. He has been doing great ever since. I watch this guy come out and eat every day. Sometimes I feed twice a day and sometimes once a day. But minimum once a day. I probably should have posted this a couple days ago but I thought he was going to be dead any time and he probably still will be. 3 days ago I noticed he wasn't really swimming out to eat like it normally does. I could see him moving around but now in hindsight it was like he just couldn't swim up. But he was really still moving around well and perched himself up on a rock looking for food when I fed so I didn't think much of it. Then the next day I noticed he was just staying in the sand completely. Again I could see him turning himself around but otherwise nothing. Now yesterday he was barely moving but still alive and is out in the sand away from his den where I can really see him well. There are no signs of any kind of injury to it. But watching him it is like every breath could be his last. I've got 5 other fish who have all been in the tank for months or over a year and there are no signs of any kind of fish disease on the Goby or any other fish. All other fish are doing excellent. I have a mixed tank with SPS, acros, and an anemone which all are thriving. My salinity is 1.025. Temp always between 78-80. No other crazy fluctuations. I did switch from straight PE mysis to Reef frenzy a month or so ago but again I have seen him eat every day and the other fish eat the same food. Sometimes he would eat some very large pieces so I thought maybe he ate something too big that has plugged him up? I should have posted this sooner but I see no other issues with the tank and thought he would be dead before I could do anything. Now today he is still alive. I feel horrible. He has moved himself to the other side of the tank too. So he can still move but looks like he could die any moment. I work until 8 tonight so not sure he will still be alive when I get home but I can't believe he has made it this long. Is there anything I can do? Do you think he just starved even though he was eating every day? Again I can get a great look at him and see nothing wrong. And all other fish and corals are doing awesome. I did add a new clam a couple weeks ago but other than that there have been no additions to the tank. I know I probably can't save it now but just curious what could cause this? Thanks for any input!
Dracula Goby dying
- Thread starter themadman
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Gobies are low metabolism and do fine with just daily feedings. Besides, if he was starving you should notice him getting thin/shrunken stomach.
When you say, "every breath could be his last" does that mean his breathing is labored?
When you say, "every breath could be his last" does that mean his breathing is labored?
It seems like it, yes. I just feel horrible because I didn't think he would last this long. Also when he was by his den still I didn't think there was any way I could get him out anyways. I examined him closely yesterday and there is literally no sign of anything I can see. He doesn't have the faded cloudy areas I've seen on other sick fish. There are no sandy looking spots or any spots at all on it. It can still move the back fin ok as it was kinda crawling around every so often. It would be slowly breathing and then move from time to time. I tried turkey blasting some food right next to it but it didn't eat anything last night when I did. And then some bristle worms came out to get that food and the Goby was able to move away from the worms. Now today it is on the other side of the tank and it is a 4 ft tank. Sorry I don't have any pictures as I am at work. But I've been a lurker on many of your fish disease threads where people post about sick fish and don't see anything I can tell.
If he dies, I would drop the body in FW to check for flukes: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-dip.248898/
You can do it now, but it sounds like he may not be able to survive the FW dip in his current condition.
You can do it now, but it sounds like he may not be able to survive the FW dip in his current condition.
Well he was still alive when I got home. I did the fresh water dip and didn't see anything fall off his gills or left in the bucket after. I had a black bottom too. I thought the dip finished it but then he was still breathing. I put it back in the tank and it swam around for a couple minutes much more than it had but it was bumping into rocks. Now it's back to just laying and barely breathing. I probably should have just put it out of its misery.
