Getting a Koumansetta sp. goby to eat

[zdrc]

I have a presumably wild caught Koumansetta sp. goby that is not eating. He is quite emaciated and was emaciated at the store as well. I have tried:

1. Pellets
2. Flake
3. Frozen mysis
4. Live baby brine shrimp

with no luck. I tried to get blackworms locally but I couldn't find any. I could get microworms, but I feel like they'll be too small similar to the baby brine shrimp, and I would prefer feeding something ocean-based. I think the goby must be grazing on pods in the tank, and I am going to buy some pods from AlgaeBarn.

Eventually, I would like to ween the goby onto on of the foods listed above if I can. How should I go about doing this?

The tank is 12 gallons and the tankmates are a yellow clown goby and a tailspot blenny, both of which eat the above foods.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have a presumably wild caught Koumansetta sp. goby that is not eating. He is quite emaciated and was emaciated at the store as well. I have tried:

1. Pellets
2. Flake
3. Frozen mysis
4. Live baby brine shrimp

with no luck. I tried to get blackworms locally but I couldn't find any. I could get microworms, but I feel like they'll be too small similar to the baby brine shrimp, and I would prefer feeding something ocean-based. I think the goby must be grazing on pods in the tank, and I am going to buy some pods from AlgaeBarn.

Eventually, I would like to ween the goby onto on of the foods listed above if I can. How should I go about doing this?

The tank is 12 gallons and the tankmates are a yellow clown goby and a tailspot blenny, both of which eat the above foods.

Sorry - those can be pretty delicate fish in terms of feeding them. Once they get skinny, there is often no way to reverse it. After I had a couple of issues with them, even in established tanks, I've stopped trying them - maybe somebody else has figured out a trick - I have heard that the captive raised ones fare better.

Jay

p.s. - here is an article I wrote about anorexia in fish, but it won't give you a solution to this problem:

Chronic Anorexia in Aquarium Fishes

Don't fall into the trap of assuming the fish will begin feeding when it gets hungry enough, or conclude it must be eating something, just not when you are watching.

reefs.com

 

[zdrc]

Hey! Sorry to revive this, but did you try it? I’m on the verge of ordering it, but the product pictures seem to line up with that one bad review :/ thanks in advance if you have a sec to reply

Sorry - those can be pretty delicate fish in terms of feeding them. Once they get skinny, there is often no way to reverse it. After I had a couple of issues with them, even in established tanks, I've stopped trying them - maybe somebody else has figured out a trick - I have heard that the captive raised ones fare better.

Jay

p.s. - here is an article I wrote about anorexia in fish, but it won't give you a solution to this problem:

Chronic Anorexia in Aquarium Fishes

Don't fall into the trap of assuming the fish will begin feeding when it gets hungry enough, or conclude it must be eating something, just not when you are watching.

reefs.com

That's unfortunate! I'll buy some more pods and see if I can get it to eat a little longer, but it doesn't sound like the odds are good.