Watchman Goby Question

[FishyReef]

I got a Wheeler's shrimp goby last weekend for my 10g, which is a type of watchman goby. It's beautiful and seems to be doing well but it looks like it is missing its bottom lip. I didn't notice this in the store or really when I added the fish, but only later. It keeps its mouth wide open most of the time and looks like the bottom jaw bones are protruding, with no lip covering them. It eats like a pig, and at first I thought maybe this was just normal and some sort of protusion used for shoveling and sifting sand, but after looking at pics online of other wheeler's gobies, I don't see similar structures. What do you guys think? I'll try to get a pic tonight to post it. If this is some sort of malformation or old injury, can the fish survive like this long term? He is eating and seems to be pretty active in the tank....

And, for those with watchman gobies, how often do you feed them? LA says to feed twice a day, but this seems like a lot, esp. in my 10g. What do you think?

 

[little_fish]

Even if its an injury and he is eating, i wouldnt worry about it. My psuedochromis has something wrong with his jaws (they dont align properly, kinda looks like he should have a cigar in his mouth) and he does just fine.

And I would feed once a day.

 

[Twisted_blenny]

I have a wheeler goby as well and I feed him once a day he's really shy tho and is always hiding with the pistol shrimp under live rock he seems to like to come out at night when the lights go out

 

[foxymoxy]

My Lionfish broke his jaw and evey now again when he opens his mouth too wide you will see the side of his face start too swell...after a few days it goes back to normal until he does it again (not the smartest fish in the world)...not sure if his jaw will ever heal but all I can do for him is make sure he eats right

 

[FishyReef]

Well it looks like my wheeler's goby has stopped eating. It actually looks like one of the bones that was sticking out of his jaw has broken off. I just fed the tank and he got all excited and popped out of his hole but wasn't actually able to take a mouth full of anything, just kind of watched it float by with his mouth gaping open :( I'm wondering what to do at this point - leave him in the tank and let him starve, or put him out of his misery? He's a fun addition to my 10g, but I don't really want him to die and wipe out the rest of the tank if he's buried himself in the rocks and I can't get to him.

 

[foxymoxy]

It might be best to bring him back to the fishy store and see if they can help him

 

[little_fish]

The fish store wont be able to do anything for him, the best you can do is give him a few days and see if he might recover and if not, then I would euthanize him.

 

[wontonflip]

+1 fish...plus catching him just to bring him to the lfs might stress him even more.

 

[ErinCahir]

Big ol' +1 to Hannah on that one.

 

[dixiegirl21191]

Poor guy :(

 

[first_time_reefer]

sorry about your goby :/

 

[FishyReef]

Thanks everyone. He didn't come out tonight to eat at all :( He's either gone in the rocks or close to it. I'm going to make up a batch of fresh saltwater tonight and prepare to do a 50% water change on the tank tomorrow, and then keep a close watch on my parameters and hope my tank doesn't cycle. An unremoved dead fish in a 90 is one thing, but in a 10 is a totally different story, and I'm not sure my tank can handle it. I have 11 nassarius snails in there but not sure they'll be enough to clean it up. This is the one time I wish I'd chosen to add a hermit crab to my tank. Anything else I can do to prevent a cycle in this situation?

 

[little_fish]

11 nass snails would be more than able to clean up one small goby, I wouldnt worry about it.

However, im very sorry he didnt make it :(

 

[FishyReef]

11 nass snails would be more than able to clean up one small goby, I wouldnt worry about it.

However, im very sorry he didnt make it :(

Okay, thanks! I think there might only be 8 able to get to him at the moment, since my urchin seems to be toting several around lol (I'll try to free those snails tonight).

I'm sorry he didn't make it to. I want to kick myself for not paying closer attention at the LFS when I purchased him, but we all make mistakes. I really did enjoy him as an addition to my 10g, so think I will replace him with another one when I order from LA again (maybe later this month or June).