Yellow Watchman Goby - Turned Grey

estein02

Member
I picked up a yellow watchman goby over the weekend...put it in my QT (all water parameters are normal)...and it has turned grey. I noticed that it was a little darker in the bag when I got home, but it was still yellowish. Is this normal? I think I remember reading that the females will sometimes do this, but I couldn't find that post again. Will it turn back to yellow? thanks
 

michaeltx

Moderator
its probably in defense mod from all the changes watch it for a few days and it should start to color up again.
just in case post the wate parameters of the tank.
Mike
 

estein02

Member
I'll test it again tomorrow after work my lights are back on so I can post the latest and greatest results. It is eating ok...not great...just okay...and gets freaked out easily. Swims eratically when I go into the room where my QT is. Anyway I will post the numbers tomorrow. Thanks Michael.
 

nietzsche

Active Member
ive heard of this happening, i have one whos also grey in my DT for a couple of months now. i dont think he was ever yellow to begin with. im not sure what the cause of it is either, this guy eats meaty foods and a variety of stuff and has his own caves.
btw, hes pretty big, not sure if age has something to do with it
 

fish4ever

Member
I've heard of some of the fish in the same species change colors during mating times, whether or not there is another fish of the same kind in the tank. Don't know if it is true or not.
 

estein02

Member
This might be mean, but I like the yellow watchman goby a lot better then the grey one! Maybe it will turn back to yellow. The one I purchased is definitely on the smaller side, so it is probably more of a stress thing then a maturity thing.
 

nietzsche

Active Member
Originally Posted by estein02
This might be mean, but I like the yellow watchman goby a lot better then the grey one! Maybe it will turn back to yellow. The one I purchased is definitely on the smaller side, so it is probably more of a stress thing then a maturity thing.
if you ever find out, let me know. i think the majority of the ones that ive seen that are yellow are small. mine is probably at his max size and is grey. wish i knew why he was grey
 

saltymac

Member
My wife came home with one a couple months ago....surprise!! It was 2 cute she said... I figure no prob, hes little.........my yellow tang went into kill mode when he saw him. Needless 2 say I had 2 get him outta there, or watch a painful death....hes now a fuge deweller, I dont know if he likes it or not, since hes always frowning.
Good luck w/yours, I agree, with time it should return 2 yellow. It is a watchman, with spots?
 

sepulatian

Moderator
They do turn colors if they are stressed. I have seen them greenish at the lfs, almost grey. They will go back to yellow when they are comfortable. If there are water issues involved then that is stressful.
 

nietzsche

Active Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
They do turn colors if they are stressed. I have seen them greenish at the lfs, almost grey. They will go back to yellow when they are comfortable. If there are water issues involved then that is stressful.
i think it has to do with something else than stress.
 

nietzsche

Active Member
"One thing I have omitted so far is pairing the gobies. In what I have seen of this fish, I believe they are sexually dichromatic, meaning that the male and female are different in color. With every pair that I've seen, the male is bright yellow while the female is grayish, with both having blue dots along their body. But what makes this confusing is that I have seen this fish change color in both directions. Does this mean that they are changing gender as well? I do not know. After the babies settle out and metamorphose, they are yellow. Then, as they grow over the next few months, most of the largest ones will change to the female coloration. From a few people who we have sold these fish to, we have reports that some changed back to yellow after they received them. Despite this confusion over coloration and gender, it is not difficult to form a breeding pair. I believe the best and easiest way is to pair one that is larger and gray with one that is smaller and yellow, though I have also heard from breeders who have put two yellow ones together and ended up with a pair"
 
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