Goby showed itching behavior today

[JayFish4004]

I haven’t introduced a new fish for 4+ months, and today when feeding my citron goby itched his sides across the rock a couple times. I have not seen this behavior before and he is eating and swimming around normally.

If this was flukes wouldn’t I have seen this much earlier than after being in the tank for 4 months?

Any other ideas what it could be?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I haven’t introduced a new fish for 4+ months, and today when feeding my citron goby itched his sides across the rock a couple times. I have not seen this behavior before and he is eating and swimming around normally.

If this was flukes wouldn’t I have seen this much earlier than after being in the tank for 4 months?

Any other ideas what it could be?

Some gobies do the switching thing as a norm. Same with some wrasses.
Scratching Can be flukes or parasitical.
To eliminate the possibility of flukes, give the fish a 5 min freshwater dip using tap water the same temperature as display tank in a clean bucket preferably dark colored. After 5 mins return the fish to display tank and look on bottom of bucket for what looks like sesame seeds or fish scales. If you see that, its flukes. If not, may be start of parasitical

 

[JayFish4004]

Some gobies do the switching thing as a norm. Same with some wrasses.
Scratching Can be flukes or parasitical.
To eliminate the possibility of flukes, give the fish a 5 min freshwater dip using tap water the same temperature as display tank in a clean bucket preferably dark colored. After 5 mins return the fish to display tank and look on bottom of bucket for what looks like sesame seeds or fish scales. If you see that, its flukes. If not, may be start of parasitical

He almost seemed to be doing it in a playful way - I hand feed him frozen baby brine and cyclops using a pipette because of course he wont eat the mysis everyone else gets.

The trouble with dipping is to catch any fish I would have to uproot all of my coral and rock to catch any of ‘em - I would also hate to go through all this trouble if there was nothing to be worried about.

Given that - what would be your approach? I have about 12 corals and 10 fish in my 20 gallon.

 

[vetteguy53081]

He almost seemed to be doing it in a playful way - I hand feed him frozen baby brine and cyclops using a pipette because of course he wont eat the mysis everyone else gets.

The trouble with dipping is to catch any fish I would have to uproot all of my coral and rock to catch any of ‘em - I would also hate to go through all this trouble if there was nothing to be worried about.

Given that - what would be your approach? I have about 12 corals and 10 fish in my 20 gallon.

Watch fish daily for any outbreaks