How long does it take?

[jdeb101]

I just got a new goby and was wondering how long it usually takes for a new fish to get comfortable in the tank. You can see what I got in my sig below. Right now the goby wont leave from a spot hes in sorta under a rock. I could be wrong but he also looks to be breathing heavy, so I hope hes not over stressed and dies.

 

[jdeb101]

OK Im almost ready to throw a damn shark into my tank! I just got a better look at the goby i got two days ago and his color is faded, really bad near his rear tail and look to have a little red bloody spot. Hes not active, just kinda laying on the substrate, only moved when a snail came crawling by, and appears to be breathing heavy. Is there anything I can do to save him???

This is like the 5th fish I lost, I really am getting sick having a tank with 3 fish and wasting my money.

 

[focus]

You can't treat him in the main tank. And you don't know what the problem is? If you could net him and have a quarantine tank you could try Maracyn for saltwater. Gram negative is the most common bacterial infection in SW fish IIRC. Saved many a SW fish with maracyn.

 

[smcnally]

FWIW, my yellow watchman goby has been under the same rock for about 2 years. It is their nature to find a home and stay there.

 

[spivack]

Yupp my watchmanwas grey with slioghtly darker grey verticle strips and rapid respiration. Took him a month to aclimate. Turns out he had a "friend" shrip in the LFS. I got him a pistol shrip after 2 months and he has been a different person ever since.

This maybe a silly question but how did you acclimate him?

You said you have lost other fish. What fish and what happened tpo them? Might be a common thread?

 

[jdeb101]

I just got home and dont know if hes still alive or not, could be sleeping under rocks. But I aclimated him with the bag floating and pouring no more than 1/4 cup of tank water every 5-10 mins in the bag. Did this for 30-45 mins. He looked perfectly fine in the bag. It could be possible maybe that when I netted him he got injured? I didnt notice any aggression towards him when he entered, only thing I saw was my clown go up to him but looked like curiosity. I hope he makes it if hes still alive. If hes still alive do you guys suggest I net him and throw him in my sump, or just leave him be??

 

[TomD]

I think if he is still alive, leave him and do not stress him more imo. Keep your water quality stable and hope for the best.

Even if we properly acclimate, it is always a chance not QT'ing new fish.