PLS HELP w/ Yellow Watchman Goby!

[Macbalacano]

Hi Everyone, just bought this YWG 5 days ago and he was perfectly healthy and normal until today. Anyone know what this could be and what I should do?

His symptoms are:
- Visible red spot/area only on one side of his gills. The other side looks completely normal
- Breathing looks a little more laboured.
- The past few days he's been an active swimmer, but now he's very chill. He looks to have some trouble swimming and not really moving the fin on the side with the red spot.

Tank Info:
- Tank has been cycling for 3 months, it's a Redsea Reefer 170 (35 gallons)
- I added the CUC 3 days before the fish.
- I Added this YWG along with two clowns 5 days ago.
- All other tank inhabitants look completely normal and healthy.

Current Stock:
- YWG,
- 2x Maine Mocha Clownfish
- 2x cleaner shrimp
- nassarius snails
- turbo snails
- fighting conch
- hammer coral
- elegance coral
- I also added a candy cane pistol shrimp the same time as the other CUC, but I have not seen or heard him ever since I added him 7 days ago.

Water Parameters (Tested with Salifert & Hanna Checker):
Alkalinity: 141
Phosphate: 0.074
Nitrate: 2.5
pH: 8.15 - 8.30
Magnesium: 1050+
Calcium 320+

 

[Big G]

Was the fish shipped or picked up local?

 

[ReGinn]

Hello! From what I can see in the pics, and from the symptoms you're describing, it sounds like it may be some kind of bacterial or fungal infection. Did you treat with any GC, metro, kana, or furan-2 during QT?? If not, I would pick up some to start. I would start by mixing some in with focus in it's food to get it on a treatment right away. While these won't usually kill as quickly as say something like velvet, it can still progress pretty quick, and suffocate the fish from their gills inflaming. Hopefully someone else with more exp in this area with chime in as well

I will say just remember, GC combines metro and prazi, but I personally like using them separately. Prazi does best soaking through the skin, when metro is best when ingested. Metro can treat for uronema, which looks similar to what is in the pics of the YWG, or it could be some kind of septicemia which kana would be good for. I'm still leaning towards a bacterial infection based on pics and symptoms, which would lead my to treat with metro and probably furan-2 since metro contains powerful gram negative bacterial meds, and furan-2 contains a broader spectrum gram negative and gram positive bacterial meds. Again though, kana is also a good med for other types of bacterial infections, and most of these meds are considered generally "reef safe", and supposedly can be used directly in the DT, however I personally do mine in the QT lol. I did have a time where I didn't have a QT though, and prolly would've dosed straight in to the tank, but on through mixing with food so most of the medicine is injested.

 

[Macbalacano]

Was the fish shipped or picked up local?

It was picked up local

 

[Big G]

It was picked up local

So that eliminates ammonia burn of the gills causing the redness. So it's probably a bacterial infection from something else, injury, aggression, etc. Here's a link with antibiotic options:

Antibiotics

Antibiotic treatment What It Treats – Bacterial infections, which are oftentimes “secondary” to preexisting parasitic (and worm) infestations. How To Treat – Follow the directions on the label of whatever product you are using. Always use a broad spectrum antibiotic medication i.e. one that...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Macbalacano]

Hello! From what I can see in the pics, and from the symptoms you're describing, it sounds like it may be some kind of bacterial or fungal infection. Did you treat with any GC, metro, kana, or furan-2 during QT?? If not, I would pick up some to start. I would start by mixing some in with focus in it's food to get it on a treatment right away. While these won't usually kill as quickly as say something like velvet, it can still progress pretty quick, and suffocate the fish from their gills inflaming. Hopefully someone else with more exp in this area with chime in as well

I will say just remember, GC combines metro and prazi, but I personally like using them separately. Prazi does best soaking through the skin, when metro is best when ingested. Metro can treat for uronema, which looks similar to what is in the pics of the YWG, or it could be some kind of septicemia which kana would be good for. I'm still leaning towards a bacterial infection based on pics and symptoms, which would lead my to treat with metro and probably furan-2 since metro contains powerful gram negative bacterial meds, and furan-2 contains a broader spectrum gram negative and gram positive bacterial meds. Again though, kana is also a good med for other types of bacterial infections, and most of these meds are considered generally "reef safe", and supposedly can be used directly in the DT, however I personally do mine in the QT lol. I did have a time where I didn't have a QT though, and prolly would've dosed straight in to the tank, but on through mixing with food so most of the medicine is injested.

Thanks very much @ReGinn, this is extremely helpful!

 

[Macbalacano]

So that eliminates ammonia burn of the gills causing the redness. So it's probably a bacterial infection from something else, injury, aggression, etc. Here's a link with antibiotic options:

Antibiotics

Antibiotic treatment What It Treats – Bacterial infections, which are oftentimes “secondary” to preexisting parasitic (and worm) infestations. How To Treat – Follow the directions on the label of whatever product you are using. Always use a broad spectrum antibiotic medication i.e. one that...

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks @Big G, super helpful link also!

 

[deanobliss]

Hi Everyone, just bought this YWG 5 days ago and he was perfectly healthy and normal until today. Anyone know what this could be and what I should do?

His symptoms are:
- Visible red spot/area only on one side of his gills. The other side looks completely normal
- Breathing looks a little more laboured.
- The past few days he's been an active swimmer, but now he's very chill. He looks to have some trouble swimming and not really moving the fin on the side with the red spot.

Tank Info:
- Tank has been cycling for 3 months, it's a Redsea Reefer 170 (35 gallons)
- I added the CUC 3 days before the fish.
- I Added this YWG along with two clowns 5 days ago.
- All other tank inhabitants look completely normal and healthy.

Current Stock:
- YWG,
- 2x Maine Mocha Clownfish
- 2x cleaner shrimp
- nassarius snails
- turbo snails
- fighting conch
- hammer coral
- elegance coral
- I also added a candy cane pistol shrimp the same time as the other CUC, but I have not seen or heard him ever since I added him 7 days ago.

Water Parameters (Tested with Salifert & Hanna Checker):
Alkalinity: 141
Phosphate: 0.074
Nitrate: 2.5
pH: 8.15 - 8.30
Magnesium: 1050+
Calcium 320+

I’m having the same issue with my goby, how did it end up going?

did you get him back to health?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I’m having the same issue with my goby, how did it end up going?

did you get him back to health?

Sometimes, fish with similar symptoms actually have different issues. If you want to, you can take a look at this post and then get us pictures and background info and we'll see what's up:

Some Helpful Hints When Posting or Responding to Threads in the Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Section

Aquarium Fish Disease Problem Solving Determining the best course of action for a problem with your aquarium can be a difficult task. Even advanced aquarists will often need to seek the help of others for complicated or unique issues. Our intent here on Reef 2 Reef is to offer expert advice...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay