Can you help this new aqua-mommy?

[callme-shy]

I just started my salt water hobby a few months ago, and I really need advice on keeping everyont happy and healthy. I have a 55 gal tank with 1 dogfaced puffer, 1 stars and stripes puffer, 2 damsils, and a mandarin goby. Everyone seems to be doing good, but the goby I just got Sunday and knew NOTHING about them escept he's beautiful. I got him home and started checking things out on the internet and seen that his tummy is sunkin in which is not good. Apparently the LFS wasnt taking care of him. I dont want to take him back, I want to make him better. So what Ive done so far is put a small beta bowl inside the big tank, and put him and his food there alone, so that he can get to the food and the others cant eat it before he does. Is there anything ya'll can tell me to help get this lil guy fat and healthy? Also, I have been feeding my puffers shrimp but I hear they need more to wear down their teeth, any suggestions? :happyfish

 

[jessecnc]

If you can get the mandarin to eat prepared foods you might be okay. But, you may not so be prepared for that. They usually require very mature tanks with a natural food supply (pods).

 

[hatessushi]

A lot of people buy those without realizing that they eat pods that grow in the tank. Once they are gone it starves to death. The LFS you got it from probably didn't feed them the pods. You can buy live pods also so you might try that.
I was thinking about getting one but after doing a lot of research I decided to wait and see if I get pods growing in my refuge since most in the tank were already eaten by other fish. I figured I woulod wait at least 6 months and let the tank mature a bit more.