Was I Misinformed About My Voilet Goby

[CynDominguez-Rogers]

Today I went to a fully aquatic fish store and saw a violet goby and immediately started to google it on my phone browser for required tank size. Of course it came up with nothing after googling "dragon fish" there was basically nothing. The employee said it would be fine in a 15-20 gallon long tank so I went ahead and took one home with me. She also said it was up to me if I wanted to keep it in fresh or brackish so I went ahead and added some marine salt to my already established 20 gal.
 
Okay, so now I'm reading so many different required tank sizes after learning the most common name of this amazing looking fish. Right now, the largest tank I have is a 40 gal B but it has a lot of different fresh water fish like tetras, pleco, corydoras, dwarf gouramis. So any advice would be appreciated! Right now it's a tiny little thing about 6 inches long.
 
 
 

 

[sawickib]

20 gallons is fine for now but as it gets larger i would go for a 40-55 gallon. You are right to keep him in brackish, however he is probably used to freshwater so i would raise the salinity by about .002 salinity every week or so until you get to 1.006-8.
 
The great thing about making a brackish tank, you can have other brackish fish! I would wait for a larger tank to do so but its definitely a possibility.
 
A sand substrate would be good for him as well. 

 

[BaylorPerez]

i agree with the sand substrate, easy to clean and it makes the tank look clearer

 

[CynDominguez-Rogers]

Thanks for the advice but now I've noticed some white spots on the mouth and I'm thinking it's ich? Or maybe reacting to the marine salt? He didn't have it the day I purchased him but it showed up last night. Any confirmation?
 
Here's some footage I took and of course some photos. I get worried about my little ones!

 

 

 

[sawickib]

Good thing is its not ich, the mouth doesnt look to serious and hopefully will heal with time. How rapidly did you raise the salt levels?

 

[CynDominguez-Rogers]

Sad to say that he passed away. The store tested my water with their kit and it came out perfect.She
said it was just a sick fish.

 

[sawickib]

Hmmm, sorry to hear that, i guess you tried your best.