My Randall Goby is sick.. What can I do?

gemini9 · Jan 16, 2015

I ordered a randall goby and pistol shrimp and they were delivered today. The goby arrived half dead. He was floating upside down in the bag and not well at all. I acclimated him and placed him in the tank. He has been in the same spot all day, wedged up under a cliff of a rock because he keeps floating up towards the top of the water. Can't seem to stay at the bottom unless he's under that rock ledge. He's hardly moving at all and his breathing is shallow. What can I do for him? He doesn't look well at all and may not make it through the night I fear.

It really sucks because I've been looking for this fish forever and it's been out of stock everywhere. when I finally found one, he arrives on the brink of death.

buckroe07 · Jan 16, 2015

gemini9 · Jan 16, 2015

anyone? please?

Longnose Hawkfish · Jan 16, 2015

Pictures will help a lot. He probably wasn't that healthy going into shipping and the shipping caused a lot of stress on an already stressed out fish.

gemini9 · Jan 17, 2015

Well I thought for sure I would wake up to a dead fish but surprisingly he is doing much better. He is staying hidden but he is alert. Seems nervous and won't come out, but at least he is alive and seems well. The fish is already fully grown and the pistol shrimp I put in there with him was just a baby and has completely disappeared. I have two pistol shrimp in there... somewhere... but I digress. The randall is doing okay! :xd:

Robink · Feb 8, 2015

Glad he's doing better. Just got one myself. Did not realize how tiny they are. Got him with a pistol shrimp. Heard the pistol shrimp several times today and I think he killed a bristle worm. Didn't know that was possible.
Any one else had a similar experience?

Humblefish · Feb 8, 2015

FWIW; if you ever order a fish online and it looks bad inside the bag (especially if the water inside the bag is cloudy) - then odds are ammonia has built up.

If the SG inside the bag is close to the destination tank (within .001 up or down), put the fish right in. If you have to acclimate, do it fast and squirt some ammonia reducer (exs. Prime, Amquel) into the bag.

A fish with "ammonia burn" will have redness around the gill areas. Best treatment options are Malachite Green or Methylene Blue, used either in a quarantine tank or as a bath treatment.