Bumblebee Gobies Aren't Yellow

[dburns865]

I got bumblebee gobies a couple weeks ago, and they're doing great. After figuring out how to feed them properly their energy level has skyrocketed, so they are doing well. They are not yellow though, which worries me a bit. Their yellow stripes are see through, only the one on their head is somewhat yellowish. Could this be a sign they are sick? The pet store was feeding them bottom-feeder pellets so they were starving by the time I got them and barely moved.

 

[nmonks]

They do change colour, especially the males, which can turn almost completely yellow or orange when in breeding condition.

Provided they are still plump and active, starvation probably isn't fatal yet. Live brine shrimps are very good foods to start with. Slightly brackish water, no tankmates that feed from the bottom, and lots of live/frozen foods will make them much easier to keep. Do read my article in this month's PFK for more on their care.

Cheers, Neale

 

[Corydoralover]

Well i can second that you have a read of nmonks article on bumblebee gobies as it really is very good.

 

[micko]

Also suggest you grabbing a copy of PFK. Was good to read a good informative piece about them as its hard to know if the sub species I was thinking of getting could live in FW.

Thanks by the way Neale.

 

[dburns865]

Well for now I feed them frozen blood worms. I must have got lucky because my gobies actively chase down food once you find one they like. It's kind of mean but I have a female guppy in there so they can have some live food every once in a while as well

Thanks for the info, I am glad they probably aren't sick.

What is PFK? I am a newb here I don't know the acronym.

While I have your attention, if they like blood worms do I still need other food? No LFS has live food around here and keeping a hatchery isn't really possible.

 

[nmonks]

What is PFK? I am a newb here I don't know the acronym.

It's an aquarium hobby magazine, Practical Fishkeeping, published in the UK.

While I have your attention, if they like blood worms do I still need other food? No LFS has live food around here and keeping a hatchery isn't really possible.

Yes, they need other foods. There's some debate about whether bloodworms are safe. They are certainly collected from dirty water environments (such as swamps) and some aquarists have made a connection between bloodworms and various diseases. I use them, but far less often that I used to, maybe once every week or two. Brine shrimp are completely safe because they're farmed in high salinity environments that are lethal to virtually everything else. BBGs will eat some other foods, including finely chopped seafood (white fish fillet, pieces of prawn, etc). The main thing is to offer a variety. Just one food item day-in, day-out, will cause problems, just as it would if you fed a human only one food item, even something "healthy" like carrots or avocados.

Cheers, Neale

 

[dburns865]

Oh okay, I will grab some frozen brine shrimp too and see how they like that. They ignore the peas I feed my molly though so IDK about vegetables.

 

[nmonks]

Giving them their greens is easy. But Spirulina-enriched brine shrimp. You'll find them in the frozen food section. These brine shrimp include algae, and BBGs happily eat them. This is a good tip for all sorts of fish that won't eat green foods directly, and it's precisely how carnivores get their green foods in the wild -- in the guts of their prey!

Cheers, Neale

Oh okay, I will grab some frozen brine shrimp too and see how they like that. They ignore the peas I feed my molly though so IDK about vegetables.

 

[dburns865]

Hello, OP Here again. One of my gobies is getting REALLY pale. Their color seems to change day to day. Neither has never had any yellow since I got them, now one seems to be losing his black stripes too. They are more of a very light gray now and I am worried he isn't healthy. The other one is totally black on his front half now as well. Other then his color he doesn't seem sick. He lays around a lot more than the other one but I suspect that is his personality.

I will try those shrimp you mentioned. I got them mysis shrimp and they just spit it out over and over until another fish comes and eats it. They will keep it in there for a while and then start convulsing like they are trying to keep from spitting it out, then out it comes only to be gobbled up again.

 

[nmonks]

How much marine aquarium salt are you adding to the tank? While they should do well in freshwater, as a therapy for ailing specimens, switching to slightly brackish conditions can help. I'd recommend SG 1.002-1.003 initially, as being high enough to help but not too salty for plants.

Mysis shrimp are too large; use live (or frozen) brine shrimp initially, and after a couple of weeks, you can then try out other foods.

Cheers, Neale

 

[dburns865]

I keep my tank at about 1.002, so I don't think that is a problem. Is this color change a bad sign?

 

[dburns865]

So he seems okay, after watching him for a few days I have discovered he actually changes color in a matter of minutes. I probably sound crazy but this has happened a few times. Just a few minutes ago I looked at him and noted that he looks exceptionally dark today, then about 5 minutes later he was back to being really pale and grey. I'm not so much worried as interested now, thought you guys might think so too. He's the king of the tank and really active, so I think he must just be one strange fishy