Is this normal for Diamond Gobies??

[flairbear04]

So I’ve had my diamond goby pretty much the whole time I’ve had my tank. Like 4 months. But I’ve never noticed this before. However, I’ve seen a few pictures of them like this. It’s like a reddish bluish spot near his head. It almost looks like a bruise??? Also he’s been eating normal but not cleaning like normal. Normally he keeps his sand spotless but it’s been getting dirty looking lately. Is he okay?? I’m attaching a picture but it’s not the best picture ever.

 

[SMSREEF]

So I’ve had my diamond goby pretty much the whole time I’ve had my tank. Like 4 months. But I’ve never noticed this before. However, I’ve seen a few pictures of them like this. It’s like a reddish bluish spot near his head. It almost looks like a bruise??? Also he’s been eating normal but not cleaning like normal. Normally he keeps his sand spotless but it’s been getting dirty looking lately. Is he okay?? I’m attaching a picture but it’s not the best picture ever.

He looks a little skinny to me, and sand looks really clean. Are you dropping food/pellets that fall into the sandbed?

Not sure about disease. @Jay Hemdal will be able to help with some great advice.

 

[flairbear04]

The sand is dirty in the front where he mainly likes to clean. But yes he gets fed and I always make sure he gets enough. I feed all my fish brine shrimp, but I feed them with a turkey baster to make sure it gets to everyone and to make sure I'm not overfeeding. He doesn't look any skinnier to me. He's always been that size. Thanks for the help!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I agree it is a little skinny, and there seems to be some swelling at its anus. When you say you feed brine shrimp, do you mean frozen brine? That food is low in fat and protein and is very low in some essential fatty acids. Will the goby take mysids and pellets?
I’m sorry, but I don’t see the issue you first described about the spot on its head....
Jay

 

[flairbear04]

Yes, frozen brine shrimp. My LFS said everything in the tank could be fed brine shrimp and is what they recommended. I do have mysis shrimp and will definitely start feeding him that. The spot on his head that I was talking about are the bluish purpilish spots. They look more reddish too in person. Like a bruise on a person. I've never noticed them before.

 

[flairbear04]

Here are some more photos

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Sorry, I don’t know what the spots could be. Are they symmetrical, left and right? If so, maybe they are normal?
Jay

 

[flairbear04]

No, they are only on the one side. He's been breathing normal and acting mostly normal so hopefully it isn't anything to be worried about. I just wasn't sure

 

[Jeffcb]

He is just looking at you. I see a little belly. Like @Jay Hemdal said maybe more fat and proteins with flake or pellet.

 

[flairbear04]

This is a photo just from the internet that someone else posted about their diamond goby looking like he had a bruise. But, I've also seen photos where they have patterning that is red. So, maybe I never noticed it or it didn't show up like it is now.