help with poor little yellow watchman

[Phishnoob]

Well Mrs. Phish has a yellow watchman goby that last week got white on one side then got his color back. Last night he was all white, but still eating and looks sort of okay.

The only change to the tank is that we added a royal gramma that took over his little hidey hole.

Is this natural for the coloration to change, stress caused or do you think he is sick.

Thanks,
Phishnoob

[Phishnoob]

Anyone? If this guys dies it will break Mrs. Phish's heart..it is her favorite fish.

I will try to leave work early and go check on him.

Thanks,
Phishnoob

[OodleyBoodely]

I would say it is probably stress if he has been ousted from his hole. I keep a gramma and y.watchman, too, and other than showing each other thier tonsils now an' then, they seem to get along fine. Just keep an eye on it and make sure there are some good alternate hiding holes for it.

[Phishnoob]

Well I got home and the goby is now all pretty again. I pampered him with formula one with Selcon and live brine shrimp and it looks like he is not so upset again about the gramma booting him.

What is funny is that his new hidey hole is as big as the old one. A 3" Clown could fit in there.

Phishnoob

[tims]

hey perry,
had the same problem with my spoted gobie, he had a nice cave all dug out and the flame scallops moved in. he lost all color then moved to anther cave, then the royal gramma moved it to that one!
he lost color again then moved in withthe scallops, he is very happy and has the color ( if you call mainly white a color) back.. the misses and mine are very simular in what theydo and where they live, he should be fine once he gets use to his new home..
have you seen how big his mouth gets yet

[OodleyBoodely]

have you seen how big his mouth gets yet

Grammas and watchmans are both bucket mouths! They both like to intimidate by gaping.

[tims]

it just amazeses me each time i see it!

[Phishnoob]

Yep, we cut up slivers of frozen food clown size and the goby just chomps em down. How the heck does he eat that.

Phishnoob

[wanareef]

AT night, or lights out, fish rest and "sleep" so they loose their color and are "whitish looking" but when the "new day" comes it's back to the same color again. Stress as mentioned does that as well, but you mentioned, night.

[Pirate]

I guess that our watchman's didn't come from the same mold. I have had a yellow for approx 4 years. He too has a cave of his own, however anytime that another inhabitant comes by he is quick to come out and chase it away. He even had my foxface intimidated. I've never seen a healthy fish change colors at night, but in the scope of things I know nothing. If your fish are fading at night it is more than likely do to a drop in ph, or alk. I light my sump 24/7 to keep these numbers stable. I'm wrong more than I'm right so let me know if I am off base here. Good luck.