Clown Goby Problems

[Donya]

I don't know what's happened...I've had my yellow clown goby (Gobiodon okinawae) for most of this year, and he has been very healthy the entire time--up until today. He just turned up with a shreded tail, tattered other fins, and looking slightly swollen on one side of the body. I don't see any signs of infection or anything...he just looks beaten up. Nothing has been added to that tank for ages except new water at water changes. I went to get him with a brinshrimp net, but when he saw the net comming he darted down to the bottom and got snared by a large, clear corallimorph that I didn't even know was there. He's isolated in a big, soft net right now in the tank so nothing can get at him. Is there anything I should do in the mean time. Can the sort of damage I'm seeing on the little guy be caused by a struggle with a stinging coral/anemone? The corallimorphs are the only things in there that could inflict a sting...

Tankmates: a heap of macro algae, two strawberry conches & some NErites. All in there for months, 100% fine. And corallimorphs...going to be pulling out all the visible ones and moving them after I finish typing

Tank stats:
5 gallons, around 30-40gph pump but the current is buffered by a massive mat of macro algae
10% water change every 1-2 weeks
1.025sg
ammonia, nitrite = 0
having difficulty getting a nitrate reading but looks around 5 right now (am going to retest)
my alk test is acting up so I don't trust it...last time I got a reading it was around 12dkH
won't be able to get other param tests tonight but will take water in tomorrow if I need tests that I don't have

 

[SkiFletch]

Wow, thats weird. Only things I can think of that might cause that would be the corallimorphs or perhaps he got caught in some rocks while sleeping and freaked out? Otherwise I'm at a loss. Will keep my fingers crossed for his return to good health though

 

[Mr Miagi]

Corallimorph's could certainly sting him, but I dought they'd be responsible for the tattered tail, unless he ripped it pulling himself away from a stinging morph. Is it possible theres a crab, pistol shrimp, or Bristle worms you dont know about you didnt mention?

 

[Donya]

There seems to be some improvement this morning. For a while last night I was sure he was near death since he started having spastic movements on the side that I observed the corallimorph attack, but those seem to be over now. He's still isolated in a net for monitoring.

Oddly, there are no bristleworms that I have ever been able to find in that tank. If they exist, they are so small they couldn't do the damage. I know it sounds strange, but the only worms I've ever dug out are the ones that are red with lots of little wormy legs (they look like a clump of tubifex worms, but it's all one worm). There are jillions of those, but they're harmless. I don't think there's enough LR for crabs/shrimp to hide in.

One of the conches likes to jostle a particular rock around so that's a possibility that it was an accidental injury...I've just never seen the goby go near the rocks. I'll make sure the rocks go back in a sturdy arrangement when I dig through the tank later today. Well, at any rate, I'll be on a corallimorph hunt until it's clear that there are no big ones left lurking...I'll be adding whatever I pull out to my collection in my 1 gallon. Hopefully in the process if there is anything else strange, it'll make an appearance.

 

[rhysiboy]

redw ith lots of little legs? that sounds like a bristle worm but if its huge and real big it could be flatworm or something like thatr. just a stab in the dark there

 

[SkiFletch]

Actually sounds more like a variation on the Spaghetti Worm theme

 

[rhysiboy]

hmmm spagheti worm can they bewhite , stringy and loads of them coz theres stuff like that on my rock lol

 

[Donya]

Yep, spaghetti worms, thanks Ski . I couldn't remember the name for them. Mine are a solid-red version of this one: http/www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/sertc/images/...te%20ornata.jpg . The bristleworms seem to outcompete those guys pretty easily (hence why I think my 5g is bristle-free). I have only seen one of them in my 12 gallon, and none have survived in my 1 gallon with fluffy1 and fluffy2...life is tough in with a couple of 10+" bristleworms.

 

[Donya]

The goby didn't make it...after looking better and even eating a bit yesterday, he started developing what looked like bruises on the most badly damaged side, and started having the spastic bouts again later in the day. He also had strange internal darkening this morning before he died. Just to check...is there any disease that matches the pattern of quick fin deterioration and the bruising/discoloration? Although I am almost certain it was the blasted corallimorphs that got him, I'm paranoid now about my engineer goby (different tank) if there is any possibility that it could be something in the water.

 

[Mr Miagi]

Sorry to hear about the Goby Donya, tragic. I hate losing any fish or coral for that matter. Sorry, I have no idea about too many fish diseases/symptoms, but I hope you find the reason to prevent others going his way.