Goby Starving?

[random]

A little worried about our new clown goby. Got it 4 days ago. When we feed (frozen), it takes a bite, but spits it back out. Sometimes more than once. It's active, doesn't seem afraid of the other fish...
But it's getting extremely thin. We've seen it actually eat a bite without spitting it out, but not often. Not sure how to get it healthy again.
Hoping someone can help?

[bb0029]

I had the same trouble with mine. I literally had to watch him starve to death. I tried everything from flake foods to fresh foods to frozen foods and everything in between dipped in garlic etc. The thing would just not eat. he would often swim up to the food snag a bite and then just blow it back out. Good luck and i hope somebody can chime in with some good ideas that might work.

[cutietwo]

Wow sorry to hear. I actually have 2 yellow clown gobies. I did not know they were the more difficult fish to keep until after I acquired them. However the stories have not proved true to mine. They eat anything and everything I feed: flake and frozen (including mysis, krill, squid, and emerald entree). I have them in a 46 gallon with live rock, corals, and for filtration (including rock) powerheads and a proteim skimmer.
What kind of fish do you have? I think my clowns learned to eat from the fish that were in there. I have two oscellaris clowns, royal gramma, bangaii cardinalfish, lawnmower blenney, yellow tail damsel, and a shrimp goby. The same as with you my clowns are not affected by the other fish and they all get along. Maybe if you do not have enough fish to trigger feeding in your tank they will not learn? What size tank do you have and how many fish? Firsthand learning to eat from others helps a new fish out a lot. best of luck!

[nicoleah]

Oh, no! My green clown is eating mysis shrimp, Rod's and even small Formula 2 pellets. I'm very sorry to hear that and I hope your little guy finds something he likes!

[random]

Thanks guys, at least it doesn't act like it's suffering...

It's a 29 gal with a 10 gal tank sump. Besides the (small, maybe just over 1 inch) goby, we have a six-line, 2 small ocellaris clowns, & a cleaner shrimp that all enthusiastically finish up what the goby doesn't eat. Did see one of the clowns eat/spit out big flakes, but eats them no prob, now. Think I saw the goby take a bit that was sinking, so I'll try that next.

bb0029, Sorry for your loss. (You wrote a thread about it, yes? was trying to find it before but couldn't remember.)

[drew1092]

Bump

[Mr.Peanut]

I have a diamond watchman goby and that guy eats anything. He will even chase the yellow tang away from the seaweed clip.

Have you tried frozen mysis?

[MissInk]

have you tried spot feeding?

also, there's products like Tigger-Pods and Arcti-Pods to aid in the feeding of particularly finicky fish

[bb0029]

Originally Posted by random

bb0029, Sorry for your loss. (You wrote a thread about it, yes? was trying to find it before but couldn't remember.)

Thanks and I did have a thread about it.

[SoK]

are the pieces too big? I know my big female false perc will eat pieces of food that my small male false perc sucks n and spits back out. He does it to try and break the food down to size, is that was your goby is doing?

[random]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone. Keep 'em coming! Goby ate a bite this AM, and it's still swimming, so there's a bit of hope.

Originally Posted by SoK

are the pieces too big?...

Noticed that too, and broke things into tiny pieces, but it still spits out little stuff. Should name the picky thing Goldilocks

Originally Posted by MissInk

have you tried spot feeding?
also, there's products like Tigger-Pods and Arcti-Pods to aid in the feeding of particularly finicky fish

like with a turkey baster, yes? if so, "yes", tried frozen & even crumbled up flakes. No consistent success. Haven't yet tried to target feed it with live stuff, tho. Thanks for the ideas.

Originally Posted by Mr.Peanut

I have a diamond watchman goby and that guy eats anything. He will even chase the yellow tang away from the seaweed clip.
Have you tried frozen mysis?

Not pure mysis, but we have a 'frozen cube multipack' and we tried the ones with mysis in them. It doesn't seem to go after the mysis that are still whole; probably too big for it.

[cutietwo]

If you cut the cube in 1/8's then the pieces of frozen food will be smaller (being cut in half or 1/4), and hence easier for your clown to swallow. Cut the cube while it is frozen

[random]

thanks! will give that a shot......
...
...

Had some frozen, vitamin-fortified brine shrimp, cut the block up a bit, & the goby seems to love it!

A cautious "Yay!"

Of course, it goes after only the biggest pieces. eh, less work for us.

Hopefully we can get it to switch to the more nutritious stuff later, but for now, I'm glad it's keeping anything down.

[nicoleah]

random,

How is your goby doing?

[Loverotties]

Update please!