Where’s my goby?!

alimac122 · Apr 26, 2020

Hey all.
I just got a YWG on Friday. He’s only about 1” max, teeny little fella. And adorably grumpy.
yesterday I noticed him swimming around the top of the tank, finally settling after he got beat up fighting the wave maker (I turned it off). He found a cute lil hidey hole in the LR and had his head popped out checking everything out trueYWG style. I thought everything was in the clear. It’s been a couple days and he has yet to eat mysis. I even put garlic juice on it thinking that could make his tummy growl.
But now I can’t find him at all. All day long. No goby (I know it’s only 2:30). But where’s he at?! Did he decide to be an air breather overnight? Did he get stuck? Did my Valentini eat him?! I don’t know.
Tell me hell show up.

William Norman · Apr 26, 2020

I would doubt it was your puffer. If he not in overflow, probably just hiding in a hole somewhere.

alimac122 · Apr 26, 2020

William Norman said:
I would doubt it was your puffer. If he not in overflow, probably just hiding in a hole somewhere.

overflow was the first place I looked! So let’s hope. I’m just worried about him hiding and not eating. I don’t know when he last ate at the LFS.

SMSREEF · Apr 26, 2020

He either is in the overflow or one of the chambers.
Check the floor too. I hope he didn’t jump.

mine can fit through the slats in the overflow... I swear his head is bigger than the opening is, so I don’t know how he does it...

I had to rig mine up like this with egg rate and fishing line...

William Norman · Apr 26, 2020

Since he is so little, see if he will eat cyclops.

William Norman · Apr 26, 2020

I have a snowflake that fits in a space less than 1/2 his size between the glass and overflow. He likes going in and then he gets stuck.

David Calzada · Apr 26, 2020

Mine jump out of my tank. I couldn't find him and then one day I was fixing cables and there he was behind the cabinet.

alimac122 · Apr 27, 2020

SMSREEF said:
He either is in the overflow or one of the chambers.
Check the floor too. I hope he didn’t jump.

mine can fit through the slats in the overflow... I swear his head is bigger than the opening is, so I don’t know how he does it...

I had to rig mine up like this with egg rate and fishing line...

I couldnt find him at ALL all day yesterday. Woke up this morning, and yep, hes in the filter. Gonna have to try this technique because somehow he gets past the filter pad.

mcshams · Apr 27, 2020

I'm glad you found him and not on the floor turned into fish jerky. !

SMSREEF · Apr 27, 2020

Mine was past the filter sock too. He was all the way into the return pump section in my all in one.

I am so so so glad you found him

vetteguy53081 · Apr 27, 2020

Almost All gobies are very bashful at first But will almost always make a presence when there is food. As noted, they are excellent jumpers , so assure there is some sort of barrier for jumpers

alimac122 · Apr 27, 2020

SMSREEF said:
Mine was past the filter sock too. He was all the way into the return pump section in my all in one.

I am so so so glad you found him

I have a 3 compartment HOB, and it has 2 filter pads before the filter sock. I love it, because the secondary filter never allows water overflow. So I have found my lil man in that section twice now.

Only sad thing is that he still hasnt come out to eat mysis. Coated it with garlic and still no YWG during feed time. Hoping he's sifting thru the leftovers in the sand wherever he is. I just got pellets on amazon and am waiting on them to get delivered sometime this week. I think my valentini is hogging all the mysis before any gets to the bottom.

SMSREEF · Apr 27, 2020

Give him time. They are really shy.

Mine was so upset after I got him out of the pump section. I actually was not sure he was in that section, it was only a guess, I had to use large tubing to siphon him out cause I couldn't get to that section with a net.

He looked terrified and did not move, hid and did not eat. I started to really worry and wanted to get him out of the quarantine tank and put him in another. I tried, but my flameback angel went after him and looked like it was gonna kill him so he went back in the quarantine very fast. Poor little guy probably has PTSD by this time!

He didn't eat for a few days after that, then started eating only if it dropped on his face. He is starting to come out more, but he is the shyest of my fish.

He is eating live black worms and frozen mysis (that i put a drop of garlic in).
But, I need to feed extra so that he gets some after my other little piggies get full.

I turn my pumps off and try to get food down to where he is. Then ill turn back on after a couple minutes.

Good luck with your little guy

alimac122 · Apr 27, 2020

SMSREEF said:
Give him time. They are really shy.

Mine was so upset after I got him out of the pump section. I actually was not sure he was in that section, it was only a guess, I had to use large tubing to siphon him out cause I couldn't get to that section with a net.

He looked terrified and did not move, hid and did not eat. I started to really worry and wanted to get him out of the quarantine tank and put him in another. I tried, but my flameback angel went after him and looked like it was gonna kill him so he went back in the quarantine very fast. Poor little guy probably has PTSD by this time!

He didn't eat for a few days after that, then started eating only if it dropped on his face. He is starting to come out more, but he is the shyest of my fish.

He is eating live black worms and frozen mysis (that i put a drop of garlic in).
But, I need to feed extra so that he gets some after my other little piggies get full.

I turn my pumps off and try to get food down to where he is. Then ill turn back on after a couple minutes.

Good luck with your little guy

I'll try turning pumps and wavemakers off when I feed tonight. See if he makes an appearance. He's so cute I dont wanna lose one of my first fish!

Thank you, i'll try some black worms if my LFS gets more in. They had them at the beginning of the pandemic, but not since.

William Norman · Apr 28, 2020

alimac122 said:
I'll try turning pumps and wavemakers off when I feed tonight. See if he makes an appearance. He's so cute I dont wanna lose one of my first fish!

Thank you, i'll try some black worms if my LFS gets more in. They had them at the beginning of the pandemic, but not since.

I am so happy that you found him.

alimac122 · Apr 29, 2020

Update: mister Doby (i have now given him a name due to his constant disappearance/shyness) has found his way into the HOB three days in a row. Yesterday was a struggle getting him out and I think I scared the bejesus out of him.
after that I have decided to keep the wavemaker off for a while. Theres really not a need for it right now, tank lights are almost always off and no corals. Also, I rigged a lace headband around the filter just in case (until i can buy real mesh).
This morning, no sight of him but also I have now found a keen eye for finding Doby sized holes under the live rock.
Here's to hoping that he will settle and start eating within the next couple days.

SMSREEF · May 3, 2020

How is your little guy doing?

alimac122 · May 3, 2020

SMSREEF said:
How is your little guy doing?

He's doing great! still shy but is settling into his rock of choice and pops out to feed. switching to pellets really helped for him to get some food. Also I was able to turn on the wavemaker too. Slow but steady but all good!

SMSREEF · May 3, 2020

That’s awesome to hear!
Mine is now a little piggy in the last 2 days and is eating more than anyone else in the tank. Finally coming out to get his fair share.