2 Spot Gobies

[cagrn]

Does anyone else have a 2 Spot Goby? Also known as Signal Goby or 4 Wheel Drive Goby.
I want to know if yours has ever been observed doing this...
About 2 days after I got it, I checked my tank late one night when I came home from work. The Goby was floating around in the water flow. At first, I thought it might be dead. Then it moved around slightly, floated around some more, and then I saw it swim back down to the bottom. This was about 3-4 months ago. I haven't seen it do it again since, so I just dismissed it as something strange having to do with the acclimation.
I found my Goby doing this again last night when I got home. It was floating around the top of the tank in the flow created by the filter and the skimmer. Its the strangest thing I think I have seen a fish do.
Is this normal behavior that I just haven't been able to catch each night? I thought it went into its dug out caves at night because I see it come out about 1/2 hr to an hour after the lights go on if I am around at that time.
Also, does anyone know how to tell if these fish are male or female?
Thanks for your input.

 

[4fun]

I have a sleeper goby that did the same thing, actually thought it had died so scooped him up in a net and he about had a heart attack. I have not seen him do it again and have had this fish for over 2 years now.

 

[cagrn]

Come on people, you can't tell me no one out there knows anything about these fish.

 

[texasmetal]

I've kept a pair of twinspots and I've never seen them do that.
Maybe it's sleeping and being caught in a current and just drifting asleep? Maybe it's a swim bladder issue? Maybe it's both? Just my thoughts.

 

[kayetwoess]

I have a couple of Signal Gobies and they don't do that. But one of my Oscellaris (sp) does that every once in a while.

 

[boozzbro]

i wouldnt worry about it too much. I have a barbershop shrimp goby and he does this in 1 specific corner of the tank every once in a while.
for your info dead fish in SW tanks dont float because of the density so dont be too worried when you see floating fish unless theyve been dead for a few days and have decomposed pretty good and has bloated.