Please Help My Citron Goby… (Not Meeting Its Nutritional Needs) – 09/16/07
Ahoy Crew.
<<Oy Mate!>>
It's actually been a long 2 weeks since I last bothered you.
<<No bother, I’m sure…>>
I am worried about my Citron Goby.
<<Oh?>>
He is skinny.
<<Mmm…>>
Really skinny.
<<Not good>>
Like, I can see his bones skinny.
<<Really not good>>
I've had him for about 2.5 months.
<<And all the while slowly starving to death…is not an uncommon tale>>
When I got him, he looked pretty good. He was in quarantine for 4 weeks, during which time I tried to fatten him up with frozen Mysis, but he seemed to like only brine shrimp--better than nothing.
<<Ultimately (and unfortunately)…this is not really true>>
Now he resides in my 110g (48x30x18). When I feed the fish, he is definitely interested in food, and he vigorously chases down food until he gets a few bites, and then he retires to his perch. He is very active, but he seems to be getting skinnier by the day.
<<Indeed>>
His other tank mates are a 4" Sailfin Tang,
<<Really should be in a bigger tank>>
a 3" Brown Combtooth Blenny, a 3" Gold Stripe Maroon, a 3" Filament Flasher Wrasse, and a 2" Royal Gramma. Everyone gets along beautifully. I also have 2 cleaner shrimps,
2 Sally Lightfoots, about 30 various hermits, 12 Turbos, 8 hairy green shrooms, 6 red shrooms, 2 Ricordeas, 2 small Capnella tree corals, a nice-sized Lemnalia, a red/dark brown BTA, and various very cool LR hitchhikers. I auto feed Formula One flake with an Eheim 3581 early in the day, and then feed when I get home using a variety of frozen foods (Mysis, minced squid, minced oyster, occasionally brine).
<<A nice selection, though I would replace the brine shrimp with glass worms. The worms are very palatable and attractive to the fishes and are much more nutritious than the brine. I have often used glass worms to entice finicky eaters to start feeding>>
I target feed whole Cyclop-eeze to the tree corals about every other day, and feed the BTA once or twice a week with minced seafood (squid, Mysis, or oyster).
<<The problem with the goby is not the foods you are “adding” to the tank, but rather the lack of “natural” foods in the display. These “coral” gobies are almost always found in close association with stony corals; more specifically, species of Acropora, Seriatopora, and Pocillopora…depending on species of goby. Most all these fishes feed on the mucus and occasional polyp of their chosen “host” coral colony. Even if this fish is feeding every day, it is obviously still lacking something in its diet in the absence of a proper host coral. Simply adding Acropora frags will not solve the problem as the fish will irritate “small” frags/colonies to the point where the coral usually suffers and dies…in my experience. Your best option might be to try the 1mm pelleted food from New Life Spectrum. This food has shown anecdotal promise with other “difficult to feed” species such as Moorish Idols, and in my own personal experience, the Leopard Wrasse species Macropharyngodon meleagris. Soaking the pellets for a few minutes in an enhancement product like Selcon or Vita-Chem is also beneficial. If the goby will accept this food and is not too far gone already…well...is definitely worth the try. The Spectrum product is also an excellent addition to your feeding repertoire for all your fishes>>
Filtration is wet-dry trickle, 90lbs of mostly pacific live rock (Fiji, Marshall Island, Tonga, Tonga Slab, and a few pieces of Florida aquacultured), a 30g in-line refugium with 4" DSB, 7 lbs Fiji rock, and Chaeto on a reverse daylight cycle, and an in-sump Coral Life Super Skimmer that works pretty well (now that I installed the Tunze Osmolator). In addition to the return flow from my Little Giant pump, internal circulation is via 2 MaxiJet 1200s and 1 MaxiJet 900 (I estimate about 1,600-1,800 gph). Lighting is via 6 T5 54W HO (4 10,000K daylights and 2 460nm actinics). 10% weekly water changes with pre-mixed RO/DI-Instant Ocean, and daily auto top-off with RO/DI. Chemical filtration is ESV activated carbon in the sump that I change every month. Numbers: Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate all 0; Calcium 350-400; alk 3.5-4.0 meq/L; pH 8.3; temp 78*-80*F. I dose/test daily (or as needed) with B-Ionic 2-part calcium buffer, and I add Iodine with weekly water changes.
Oy! Bored yet?
<<Not at all…your system sounds very nice/seems well maintained>>
My refugium has tons of copepods and many amphipods. I've built up the live rock in the fuge so that it works up to the outflow, hoping to ensure that pods get into my display. I throw a few shrimp pellets in the fuge once a week to make sure there is food for the pods.
<<Very good…is important in my opinion to feed a refugium if one wishes to keep the biota within “populating”>>
I would think with the fishless refugium, 90lbs of live rock in the display and supplemental feeding, the Goby should be in hog heaven, but obviously that's not the case.
<<Indeed…for reasons stated>>
I am seriously considering throwing the Goby in the fuge for a while to fatten him up (assuming I can catch him), but I'm worried that's just a temporary fix--that he'll experience the same problem once reintroduced (of course, I could always keep him in my fuge, but that sort of defeats the purposes of the fuge and of having him). Or . . . maybe he's just not happy in my tank and needs to go back to LFS where someone with a nano will pick him up. What are your thoughts on these ideas?
<<Transferring the fish to the refugium can’t hurt at this point…and may facilitate feeding with the Spectrum pellets soaked in the enhancement products>>
I love this guy--his yellow color with striking blue lines.
<<Lovely little fishes, agreed…but not easily kept in this instance>>
I hate to get rid of him, but I don't want to kill him either.
<<Unless you know someone with a mature system with large Acroporid colonies that would take it (and not completely without risk to the corals, as explained), you are likely this fish’s best hope right now>>
I really need a splash of yellow in my tank and like small fish.
<<I will submit to you that the wrasse Halichoeres chrysus might fit this bill (depending on what you consider “small”) and be much more suitable for captive keeping>>
As always, thanks for the insight.
Andy
<<Happy to share, Andy. Please try the Spectrum pellets (and the glass worms), and do let me know how you fare with this fish. Regards, Eric Russell>>

Re: Please Help My Citron Goby... (Not Meeting Its Nutritional Needs) - 09/17/07
Thanks, Eric.
<<Quite welcome, Andy>>
A big help.
<<I’ll keep my fingers crossed>>
I actually received your email while in the LFS, so fortuitous timing.
<<Indeed>>
I picked up the New Life Spectrum For Small Fish--tiny pellets. I assume this is what you were referring to.
<<Yes...as well as the regular (1mm) pellets>>
The goby does like these pellets, so at least that's a good sign.
<<Excellent...feed a couple/three or more time a day if/when possible...and do also consider the vitamin soak I mentioned. With the goby taking the Spectrum pellets it may just have a chance!>>
I also picked up the yellow wrasse you mentioned.
<<Ah yes, Halichoeres chrysus...a great aquarium/reef safe wrasse in my opinion>>
I've actually had my eye on this fish for a while as a planned last addition, and the LFS had one that looked good for only $15. He is now swimming happily in QT.
<<Excellent>>
As for the Sailfin Tang, I know he is going to get big and that he may ultimately need to be moved/traded to a larger system.
<<Mmm, not “ultimately” my friend...can/will develop behavioral and health issues from “growing up” in a too small system>>
He was one of my first fishes, and I didn't think about too much about size as I assumed he would be similar to a yellow tang.
<<Not even close...I’ve seen Zebrasoma veliferum that were larger than dinner plates>>
Then I found WWM. Live and learn.
<<Let’s hope [grin]>>
Unfortunately, it's a lot harder to get rid of a fish humanely than it is to buy one.
<<Agreed...all the more reason for research beforehand...as you have learned>>
Andy Bulgin
<<Regards, Eric Russell>>

Acclimation/Citron Goby. Feeding a Citron Goby 8/13/07
Good morning Crew.
<Hello Andy.>
I have a Citron Goby (Gobiodon citrinus) that's in my 30g QT. I have had him a little over a week. He is very active at feeding time, but I'm not sure he is eating. He races all around and picks up the food, but he appears to mouth it for a few seconds and then spit it out. I've tried frozen Mysis, frozen brine shrimp, cut up pieces of squid, cut up pieces of gulf shrimp, Cyclop-eeze, live black worms, and, today, live brine shrimp that I hatched. I have read the FAQs and other sources of info on feeding the guy and (I think) have tried just about everything I've read. It's hard to see if he's getting skinny because he has such large pectoral fins, but from what I "think" I see (may be paranoia), he seems a little thin to me. Any thoughts?
<Well, you are definitely offering foods that he should eat. Mmm, I think I'd try a 10% water change and see if that doesn't trigger an appetite, but skip a day of feeding after the water change. Hopefully he will start eating soon.>
Thanks!
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Andy Bulgin

Re: Acclimation/Citron Goby, Feeding a Citron Goby  8/15/07
Thanks, James.
<You're welcome.>
It just so happened that I had done a 10% water change the night I wrote to WWM. The goby actually is eating, but only brine shrimp, which I'm fortifying with Selcon.
<Much better than no food.>
He chases the Mysis, but spits them out. Maybe he just needs time to acclimate. I plan to keep in QT for 4 weeks rather than 2 to see if I can't get him ready for the display.
On another note, I have a question about splitting mushrooms. I posted this on the chat forum, but might as well ask the experts too. I have an Orange Ricordea that has split. The two shrooms are hanging together by a very thin piece of tissue. The original shroom is very well established on a piece of base rock, but the second/new shroom looks like it's going to drop onto the substrate when they finally split.
What should I do with this shroom? Leave it on the substrate? Move it to another piece of rock (I'm worried that my flow will knock it off)?
I'm new to keeping inverts so I don't have any experience with splitting creatures. Any thought would be appreciated.
<I'd probably move it to a piece of rock in a low current area. It will attach in time. James (Salty Dog)>
Andy

Clown Goby Feeding... again     5/7/07
I asked a question a while ago, as to I was worried about my goby  looking skinny. I believe they are typically skinny, but you can see some brown  in his
skin. Not sure if this is because he doesn't have much meat on his bones, lack of nutrition, etc.
<Mmm, me neither... could be a "few things", but am concerned as I've seen this same sort of marking on captive Gobiodons and never on wild specimens>
I was told to feed him variety. What I have is Mysis shrimp, Spirulina brine shrimp, krill, and squid. I figured this was a wide variety but he seems picky.
<Yes... really need to live on (physically and nutritionally) live Acropora (Table Coral) colonies... this is what they do and eat in the wild>
He does eat, but sometimes it looks like he can bite off more than he can chew, and sometime spits the food out. Its not always,
but  I occasionally see it. I fed him the other day, and out of nowhere he spit out  a amphipod/copepod, and it was quite larger. I try to feed him as little
as I  can at a time, so he doesn't run around trying to collect everything. I also  watch him chew his food, and occasionally spit some out. He does eat
everyday I  assure that, but it looks like he is picky. What is the best type of food to get  these guys? Would you suggest another type of food?
<Yes... the live SPS... You have read on WWM: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/gobiodonfdgfaq.htm
BobF>

Re: Clown Goby Feeding  – 05/07/07
Hi Bob or whoever is assisting me,
I did learn that Clown Gobies would often perch around Acropora and feed off of it, but I didn't know it was vital or just extremely important to house one. The problem is that I don't think my lighting is strong enough to keep Acropora, but possible to keep some other SPS corals. My lighting is a Nova Extreme T5HO with a retro fit kit along with it, its the 36" fixture. If I place the coral near the top of the tank or even in the middle, could it be possible  to house SPS corals for my Clown Goby?
<Possible>
I want whatever is best for him, but I  know that many of these corals are in need of high lighting. Even though I made  this mistake, I decided to purchase more books so I can learn more and   prevent any mistakes, so I can plan much easily now than I did in the  past.
Thanks
Joe
(I posted the email before in case you would forget or not be able to see  it otherwise)
<Good. RMF>

Goby Diet, Mix it Up!  4/26/07
Hey WWM Crew,
<What's up Joe?>
My Clown Goby looks awfully skinny.
<Uh-oh.>
I never really noticed it before, until   I really took a good look at him. You can almost see through him, and notice his  bones and organs.
<Mmmm...not good, he needs some meat on his bones!>
He isn't really plump as other clown gobies look in person and  in pictures. I feed him every single day, and I watch him eat.
<What is he eating though and how much?>
The only other  fish in the tank is the Flame Angel, and he favors the Spirulina shrimp much  more than the Mysid. The goby loves the Mysid, usually eating as much as he can.
<Try mixing it up a little. Variety is important with diet, go for some Mysis (PE is a personal favorite of mine), krill or even some finely chopped mussel or bivalve meat. Also consider a vitamin/fatty-acid supplement like Selcon or Zoecon.>
He doesn't really fear the Angel, he will sometimes attempt to out compete him  and get as much as he can from the cube and take it to the top of his power  head. What I do when I feed is place the cube on the surface, holding it with my  fingers, and let a certain amount of pieces break off, and save the rest.  Otherwise I would have a lot of uneaten food and excess nitrates. Is there a way  to beef him up? Or is it normal appearance?
<See above....remember "VARIETY.">
From,
Joe
<Adam J.>

Citron Goby eating behavior?  - 03/02/07
Hi Guys!
<Hi Kim, Mich here.>
I've had a Citron Goby for about 6 weeks now.  It has slowly withered away and has stopped eating within the last 3 weeks.  
<Uh oh!  Not good.>
We have an established 75-gallon tank (protein skimmer, UV filter, refugium, calcium reactor) with plenty of live rock and hiding spaces, great coralline algae growth, and all the water quality numbers seem perfect. The other tank-mates act like sharks during feeding times (yellow tang, Kole tang, Foxface, skunk clown, long-nose hawkfish, Anthias, cleaner goby, pygmy angel, six lined wrasse, crew of Chromis) and are seemingly plump & healthy.  
<That's a lot of fish.>
Due to aggressive feeding behavior of the other fish, we thought the goby was just too timid to compete for food.  Although it does not eat, the goby is still out in the open, perching on coral, hanging on to the glass, and occasionally just swims in open water. There are no signs of abuse by the other fish.
<OK.>
The Goby appears to recognize there's food, as it will chomp at the food, but then spit it back up.  We alternate types of food between live brine shrimp (enriched w/ phytoplankton), frozen enriched brine shrimp, frozen Mysis shrimp, Formula 2 flakes, Cyclop-eeze, bloodworms, and zooplankton.  We've also tried putting drops of garlic and multivitamins on the food. All this with the same result - the fish just seems to spit it out.
<A nice variety of foods.>
Yesterday, while the goby was perched on the glass, I was surprisingly able to catch him (the fish are used to our hands in the tank to fix coral/rocks that have fallen) and have successfully placed him into our 25-gallon refugium.  We hope to rehabilitate him down there, by himself, until he starts to put on more weight.  We tried feeding him live brine shrimp, but again, he jumped at the sight of them, nibbled, spat them out, nibbled again, spat yet again, and swam away.
<I think this was a good move, natural food possibilities in the refugium.>
Any suggestions on what to feed this anorexic citron goby?
<My biggest recommendation would be Selcon.  I would soak all foods offered in it.  Otherwise, I would keep trying the meaty foods perhaps even some intended for human consumption like finely shaved shrimp.  Make sure any pieces are quite diminutive.  Hopefully will do better in the refugium without all the other fish come feeding time.  More info here:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/gobyfdgfaqs.htm>
Thanks for all your help.
<Welcome!>
BTW your website it great!
<Thanks!  Glad you like it!  -Mich>
Kim

Citron Goby ... feeding mostly   5/9/06
Hi Everybody,
<Chris>
Hi from the UK, guess what - I need your expertise!
<Hotay!>
On Friday I bought a Citron Goby, he was eating ok at the fish shop & looked fine, they had had this fish in the shop for 2-3 weeks prior to my buying him.
Since then he has been in my new(ish) tank (established February this year) he hung about on the back wall and the front corner for Friday evening & most of Saturday (when a head of Acropora was added - first sizeable coral to be added (apart from the Xenia colony temporarily in there)) on Saturday night he hung about close to the Acro but on Sunday he was hiding behind the rockwork against the centre back overflow.
<Unusual... you likely know this genus largely lives on, in, under Acropora tables, feeds on their polyps in the wild>
  On Saturday he ate a little but since then has not eaten (trying with frozen brine & Mysis) also his breathing seems very rapid to me - up to about 100 x per minute (gill movements) & he seems to have become paler.  He now seems reluctant to move, allowing food to drift right past him with no attempt to feed.
<Not unusual... stress from moving...>
Tank specs are -
50gal 200 litre main tank - 24" cube, internal weir
mud sump below with Chaeto (currently has carbon & PolyFilter in also)
5000 litres of water movement per hour
150w HQI MH
Tunze Nanodoc skimmer
3 to 4 litres evaporation per day replaced with saturated Kalkwasser through auto top off with Peri pump & floats (which indicates a high calcium demand to me bearing in mind the small load of calcifying organisms (list below & calcium slowly dropping unless supplemented with Tropic Marin BioCalcium) which confuses me a little, does this seem appropriate to you?
<Mmm... well... seems high for what you list... But you're likely engaged in a/the self-defeating mix of alkalinity and biomineral... precipitation here... Please read: http://wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm
and the linked files above>
30 kilos LR (Indonesian)
2 cleaner shrimp
assorted cleanup crew
2 small plating Monti frags (large coin size)
1 small 1 1/2" Monti digitata frag
1 small 1" Acro frag
& the new Acropora head mentioned above 3"-4" across
Tests today -
1.025 sg
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0.2
Temp ranges 26.5deg c to 28deg c
pH 7.95 ranging to 8.22
Alkalinity had dropped a little to 9dkh
Calcium a little depressed at 370
Dissolved Oxygen at about 5mgl (initially tested about 3mgl but I retested & also tested my old tank for comparison which came out  at 6mgl) both these readings struck me as low (new tank & old tank) considering both have skimmer & lots of water movement - any thoughts?
<Seven mg/l (or ppm) is likely about all to be expected, possible here... given temperature...>
Background -
About 3 weeks ago I added 2 Banggai Cardinals - one I found dead (intact) after 2 days (without warning) & the other disappeared completely without trace after 11 days with stringy white trailings from anus visible the day before (this fish wasn't over keen on food either but was eating & still in good shape when it died),
<You don't mention the "Q" word... quarantine... You should be using such>
corals and all other life remain in excellent health.  I am becoming very worried about the new Goby and am unsure of how to proceed, I have had great success with my old tank (with WWM help of course, sincere thanks to you all) & have my 2 clowns whom I don't want to risk in the new tank with this behavior & unexplained fish death.  I clearly don't want to risk this Goby either especially after the heartbreaking loss of first one then the second Banggai.  I have read I think most of the Goby FAQs and those others which seemed most relevant currently (recently) and a great many others in my year and a half of reefing.  So, what to do about my Goby?
<Mmm, for one, read re the ping-pong issue re supplementing both alkalinity and biominerals... do this in new water for change-outs... consider cutting the "Kalk habit"... and the possibility of adding vitamins to live foods to entice the Gobiodon>
Please do let me know if I can add further information at all & I look forward to your advice
Cheers
  Chris
P.S If there is a footer on this email with my work details please delete before posting (sometime it shows up, others not)
Many thanks.
<Will do. Cheers, Bob Fenner, in not-so-sunny S. Cal.>