Yellow watchman goby acting strange

Garyf7257 · Apr 30, 2017

water parameters are fine and I noticed my YWG hanging out near the top of the tank in the corner. He did this when he was first introduced to the tank for about a week but he has since then found a cave to hide in. For the past two months he's been hiding in the cave. He always come out for feedings and such but this morning I found him in the corner at the top of the tank just swimming. Any suggestions as to why he's doing this now?
He stays at the bottom for feedings and has never swam to the top for the past 2 months I've had him.

scriptmonkey · Apr 30, 2017

Hungry maybe?

Garyf7257 · Apr 30, 2017

That's the first thing I thought of so I put a little bit of food in and he didn't touch it.

scriptmonkey · Apr 30, 2017

Believe when people start troubleshooting the fish they will want you to post all your levels. You might want to do that and tag @reefsquared.

4FordFamily · Apr 30, 2017

It could be a parasite that's attacking the gills of th me fish which has the fish going to the top near the powerheads and air for oxygen.

It could just as easily be a tankmate bullying the fish and scaring it from its lair.

What tankmates are present? Do you quarantine?

Anything wet added in the past 3 weeks?

Dalmatia · May 1, 2017

I think he's getting stressed out too much or he's sick

Dalmatia · May 1, 2017

Wouldn't be a bad idea qt-ing him...

Jmas4 · May 1, 2017

Parameters?
Tank size?
Tankmates?
Did you add anything in the last few days?

Garyf7257 · May 1, 2017

I added an Ebili angel two weeks ago and other tank mates are coral beauty and a clown. I also have a cleaner shrimp and peppermint shrimp. I do have a hospital tank but I don't want to use it unless I have to. I fed him today and he ate so that must be good right? During feeding the shrimps try to get into his cave and he'd come out and then go back in when feeding was over. My parameters are
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 0
PH 8
Nitrite 0