Worried about Goby!

sparty059

sparty059

Active Member
So, as everyone knows or is about to know... Flower was kind enough to send me her Goby since she doesn't have a refugium attached to her tank. I do, however, when I received him he was already looking fairly skinny in his belly area. The first day I added him to my tank I decided I would feed the fish a day early just to get him to eat a bit. He wouldn't come out of hiding (not surprised since it's a new home). So then I decided I would feed yesterday. Flower had mentioned to me that he does eat frozen mysis (that is what I have been feeding my fish this whole time) so I used half a block rather the 1/3 I typically use and decided to feed hoping he would take a bulk of it. When I came home he was swimming around, he didn't even swim for cover when I came right up against the tank to watch. He was sifting sand all over and doing what he does best, but his belly was looking almost concave. I thawed the food with tank water (as I always do) and opened up the canopy. That's when he went for cover again. I poured a little bit in to entice him to come out; with no luck. I stood motionless for a few minutes waiting for him to come out and he eventually did. As soon as I started to pour the food in (slowly) he again went for cover. My two clowns were feasting away, and EVEN my blenny! Barely any food dropped down to his hiding spot, and I can't even get it there because of the rock work I have set up. I am starting to get worried about him because from pictures I have seen it looks like they're supposed to have a large belly almost similar to how a blenny looks after he finishes eating, and well, it looks the absolute opposite of that in this case. Any ideas, suggestions, or comments are welcome. I'm assuming he's getting some food from the sand sifting and the walls of the tank, but I can't imagine it's enough to keep him satisfied.
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
Do you just feed your fish mysis? I would do a variety of foods. This will provide a more balanced diet, especially if you include some omnivorous foods for the clowns (like emerald entree).
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///forum/thread/382026/worried-about-goby#post_3331289
Do you just feed your fish mysis? I would do a variety of foods. This will provide a more balanced diet, especially if you include some omnivorous foods for the clowns (like emerald entree).
+1 on that too..........you can get mysis, and also get saltwater multipach which comes with 4 different foods...
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

Sparty it is a new home, he is afraid....he doesn't know the other fish, your house looks different, the tank is bigger..he was torn from a happy place and put in a dark box and bumped around.
When I first got him from SWF he didn't even show his face for two weeks. he is already peeking out..you are doing great and so is he. I don't hover over my tank, I always stand back unless I am feeding them. He is used to my walking away. He has to get used to you.
If he is sifting sand he is fine, he is not a fat fish. he will get a belly right after he feeds on mysis but that could be days to a week away. Don't over feed your tank worrying about if he will eat...believe me..when he is ready he will eat.
Over feeding the fish is why you have hair algae. Relax..deep breaths count to ten.
This fish is a little gimpy..his long body is crooked just a very tiny bit, you have to really look for it to see it. I got him that way and it never stopped him from eating, swimming or digging.
 
slice

slice

Active Member
Sparty, maybe you should tape a picture of Flower near the tank so it will feel at home...
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slice http:///forum/thread/382026/worried-about-goby#post_3331309
Sparty, maybe you should tape a picture of Flower near the tank so it will feel at home...

To feel at home you will have to put Judge Judy on the TV...from the tank that's what he could see, not me.
If he gets enough from the sand he won't be interested in frozen mysis. This guy even nibbled on algae sheets...so starve he won't. he used to take the entire mysis cube and swim with it to keep the clowns and Hippo Tang from getting it.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by kender http:///forum/thread/382026/worried-about-goby#post_3331315
That greedy little bastardo! LoL
He isn't greedy...
When he gets a bit of food he looks like he is chewing away...the other fish just swallow and go for more..The Hippo swims and just swoops every bit of food in his path. The Goby learned to grab the cube and run so he would get a little, then lets it go whe he gets his mouth full. He is a survivor which is my point to Sparty, he need not worry about that fish.
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
So, im curious, if this little fella easts frozen, why did Flower feel the need to get rid of it sump or no sump?
My mandarin eat frozen and was fat and happy (until he went carpet surfing one night)
 
sparty059

sparty059

Active Member
I believe (I could be wrong) but I think she wanted him to have a bigger tank as well. I have a 150 gallon, and she wanted him to have more space to roam around. He does just that too! He's found a number of hiding places already and found his home and his vacation home!
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Our local reef shop carries these feeders. I'm thinking about picking one up. The triple set comes with an extension for the larger feeder.

Sparty you should look into a better quality of food. Some local folks turned me on to this Rods Food and it is excellent. I use the reef blend and just do one light feeding a day. There is something in it for everyone. It comes in the frozen packets just like the mysis usually does. Check out the ingredients...
Shimp, scallop, oyster, clam, squid, octopus, perch, mysis, pacific plankton, krill, brine shrimp, red cyclops, fish eggs, green nori, red unroasted nori, broccoli, carrot, golden pears (all sizes), ouster eggs and ovarian tissue, galic, selco, rotifers, freshly hatched baby brine shrimp. Doesn't that sound yummy?
I have 4 powerheads in my 50G reef, pluss my two returns from my filters. When I feed I turn off my filters and two of my powerheads. I leave 2 of the coralias running. I find that the larges pieces of food are still small enough to get sucked in and blown around by the coralias. Food goes to all parts of the tank. This stuff goes along way with just a little bit so again, I just do 1 light feed a day. I suppliment with different pods from time to time for a meaty treat. My tank loves this stuff. I've only been using it for about a week but the fish and corals already seem happier. The guys at the local reef store have said that they've had quite a bit of success training pipefish with it as well as their green spoted mandarine in one of their displays.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
HEY COREY....Do you have one fo those feeders? If so, how long is the extension? and will it work as good as a baster (suction)?
I need something to siphon stuff from the bottom of my 225G and my seaquirt doesn't cut it...and it is way too deep for me to reach with the baster
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/382026/worried-about-goby#post_3331384
HEY COREY....Do you have one fo those feeders? If so, how long is the extension? and will it work as good as a baster (suction)?
I need something to siphon stuff from the bottom of my 225G and my seaquirt doesn't cut it...and it is way too deep for me to reach with the baster
No I don't have one yet but I'd like to get a set once I get the 120 up and going again. They basically look just like a baster so I'd asume they would be pretty similar. The large one with the extension I would guess to be somewhere around 20" or so.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparty059 http:///forum/thread/382026/worried-about-goby#post_3331346
I believe (I could be wrong) but I think she wanted him to have a bigger tank as well. I have a 150 gallon, and she wanted him to have more space to roam around. He does just that too! He's found a number of hiding places already and found his home and his vacation home!


I lost the live critters in my sand...so I needed to seed my sand, but the goby eats the new critters before they have time to multiply. The only solution was to find him a new home. Sparty has a nice big tank and a refugium so I figured he has a really good home. I know his new Fish Daddy loves him, I can't ask for better than that.
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
I'd like to get teh kent sea squirt. has milliliters marked on the side and extends to 35"
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jstdv8 http:///forum/thread/382026/worried-about-goby#post_3331391
I'd like to get teh kent sea squirt. has milliliters marked on the side and extends to 35"
That's the one I have.....I HATE IT....Oh sure it's long enough, but has lousy suction....and clogs really easy....I amde the opening a little bigger, but I think I am gonna try to make the opening wider...IDK though
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
What if you took your turkey basters and cut them on the straight part and glue a straight piece of pipe to etend it to the length you need. JAIDA
 
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