Struggling to properly feed YWG? Need advice.

[TheReefDiary]

Hey guys just wondering if anyone had tips for feeding my yellow watchman goby. He's eating, the problem is he's so timid that he won't eat where the other fish eat. I've tried to drop food in front of him but he sits there like a deer in headlights watching the others eat.

He's not starving as I seem him eating occasionally, just not sure he's getting enough food.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[HankstankXXL750 Verified Sponsor]

Hey guys just wondering if anyone had tips for feeding my yellow watchman goby. He's eating, the problem is he's so timid that he won't eat where the other fish eat. I've tried to drop food in front of him but he sits there like a deer in headlights watching the others eat.

He's not starving as I seem him eating occasionally, just not sure he's getting enough food.

Any advice would be appreciated.

If you haven’t I would suggest getting amphipods and stocking your tank and refugium copepods as well. This will provide a live food source that he can hunt as he wants. Also everyone tries not to overfeed, but you should feed enough that food does get to the bottom of your tank. If you feed so sparingly that your fish consume everything before any can get by them, IMO you are not feeding enough. Of course this doesn’t mean feed so much that you can see leftovers in the sand.

 

[TheReefDiary]

If you haven’t I would suggest getting amphipods and stocking your tank and refugium copepods as well. This will provide a live food source that he can hunt as he wants. Also everyone tries not to overfeed, but you should feed enough that food does get to the bottom of your tank. If you feed so sparingly that your fish consume everything before any can get by them, IMO you are not feeding enough. Of course this doesn’t mean feed so much that you can see leftovers in the sand.

I've recently started feeding a bit less as I noticed p04 and nitrate creeping up a bit. Everyone else in the tank is eating well and loves when it's time to eat. I plan on starting my phytoplankton culture on Friday and will have some fresh as well to use. Will the YWG eat the phyto?

 

[HankstankXXL750 Verified Sponsor]

I've recently started feeding a bit less as I noticed p04 and nitrate creeping up a bit. Everyone else in the tank is eating well and loves when it's time to eat. I plan on starting my phytoplankton culture on Friday and will have some fresh as well to use. Will the YWG eat the phyto?

I have no clue about the phyto. I know they send it to feed the copepods and amphipods. I heavily stock my reefs. 40 fish in a 210. I went to homemade NOPOX to combat nitrates. And have now started Phosphate E for that.
I use an Apex and AI nero pumps, so I shut down my tank when feeding so very little goes to waste.
It is also my understanding that copepods can help with nutrient export but I don’t know if they really remove that much.
I do know that I generally put 2/3 of my pods in my fuge. I still have them in my fuge so I assume they are working their way through the tank as well.

 

[TheReefDiary]

I have no clue about the phyto. I know they send it to feed the copepods and amphipods. I heavily stock my reefs. 40 fish in a 210. I went to homemade NOPOX to combat nitrates. And have now started Phosphate E for that.
I use an Apex and AI nero pumps, so I shut down my tank when feeding so very little goes to waste.
It is also my understanding that copepods can help with nutrient export but I don’t know if they really remove that much.
I do know that I generally put 2/3 of my pods in my fuge. I still have them in my fuge so I assume they are working their way through the tank as well.

I'm not at your level yet haha. I have a 13.5g fluval evo. Definitely aspire to get to a tank your size, but not fuge for me currently thus keeping a pods culture going would be difficult.

 

[HankstankXXL750 Verified Sponsor]

I'm not at your level yet haha. I have a 13.5g fluval evo. Definitely aspire to get to a tank your size, but not fuge for me currently thus keeping a pods culture going would be difficult.

Ok, that would make things a little different. I assume you have already tried using a Turkey baster to target feed. Many times the baster scares them for a while, but then they figure out it is good and come out to feed.

 

[TheReefDiary]

Ok, that would make things a little different. I assume you have already tried using a Turkey baster to target feed. Many times the baster scares them for a while, but then they figure out it is good and come out to feed.

Just bought one. He's currently freaked out by it as well as my firefish who then scares him. He sometimes will eat the food of the sanbed so I leave it there outside his burrow. Only issues is nassarius snails come right over to eat it.

 

[neonreef3d]

my goby is fat AF.

 

[TheReefDiary]

my goby is fat AF.

Mines just not eating a ton at the moment. Or maybe he is getting enough from the sandbed when I'm not there.

 

[HankstankXXL750 Verified Sponsor]

Just bought one. He's currently freaked out by it as well as my firefish who then scares him. He sometimes will eat the food of the sanbed so I leave it there outside his burrow. Only issues is nassarius snails come right over to eat it.

He should get used to it. Many particular eaters that I have gotten have been afraid of the baster or tongs when feeding. Once they figure out it is the food then they come to it instead of running away.

 

[dennislagoon]

I'm no expert by any means, but I had the same problem when I got my YWG. My other fish kept eating everything before it even came close to him.

Normally I stopped all the pumps when feeding so the food sank slowly down to the spot I wanted to. But since my Royal Gramma hid in the wavemaker without me noticing (and cut him in half when automatically starting again) I started to leave my wavemaker running while feeding.

Not only do I now not have to worry about cutting inhabitants in half, but it also gave the other bottom dwelling fish a chance to get some too when it floats by. Also like the idea of having all the fish hunt a little for their food in a natural sort of way.

If the Goby is looking healthy I wouldn't worry too much. If he's really hungry, he'll come out eventually.

Edit: I like to have my feeding routine as simple as possible, so when I'm away from home it isn't too much hassle for other people as well.

 

[killer2001]

My Yasha Goby is a very timid eater. Usually I feed all the other fish first, then I will drop a couple pellets at a time so they sink right in front of him. All pumps / wavemakers must be off. Once I see him eat a few pellets I'll do a pinch of flake food, then turn the wavemaker on and watch it scatter across the water column, when food passes by his little burrow area, he will then go for it.

 

[BaliReefBox]

well just walked up to my tank and see my new ywg on the floor covered in slime.... i picked him up and he kicked so i threw him back in and he is a bit shell shocked but gasping big time and looks like he might pull threw... no the mystery is how he got out. i have a perspex cover 5mm slots. he is fatter than 5mm... I think i may rename him houdini... and op mine eats like a pig

 

[BaliReefBox]

well mine wont be eating any more...found him 24hrs after his jump with a hermit nibbling him..thought he may of pulled through....oh well back to the lfs

 

[TheReefDiary]

well mine wont be eating any more...found him 24hrs after his jump with a hermit nibbling him..thought he may of pulled through....oh well back to the lfs

That sucks. I don't have any crabs because they're too opportunistic.

 

[HankstankXXL750 Verified Sponsor]

well mine wont be eating any more...found him 24hrs after his jump with a hermit nibbling him..thought he may of pulled through....oh well back to the lfs

Best bet is that he died from the jump and hermit just doing his job.

 

[BaliReefBox]

Best bet is that he died from the jump and hermit just doing his job.

yeah< i thought i got him back into the tank in time howevr i really dont know how long he was on the floor for.. obviously too long..