About two weeks ago, I purchased a tiny (1/2") Yellow Clown Goby to complete the fish stock of my BioCube 29. After a drip acclimation, I released him into the tank at night to lower the risk of bullying from the larger and more established residents of the tank (including an Orchid Dottyback, a Flame Angelfish and a True Percula Clownfish).
Unfortunately, during the morning feeding the next day, as he swam up into the water column to investigate what all the commotion was about, he was grabbed and nearly swallowed by the clownfish who mistook him for a super-sized piece of Mysis. The clown spit him out and the goby appeared no worse for the encounter physically; however, he lost interest in investigating food thereafter. He still swims around the tank and sits in the open, sometimes on a rock ledge or sometimes on the sand down in front. He does not appear to be bullied, chased or molested in any obvious way by the other fish.
Since that day, I have not seen him eat anything although I have tried plying him with live tigger pods, live enriched brine shrimp and various flakes and mini pellets. This weekend I noticed that his belly was becoming sunken in and I fear that he is beyond help and starving to death. Any thoughts on how to persuade this finicky little character to eat?
Unfortunately, during the morning feeding the next day, as he swam up into the water column to investigate what all the commotion was about, he was grabbed and nearly swallowed by the clownfish who mistook him for a super-sized piece of Mysis. The clown spit him out and the goby appeared no worse for the encounter physically; however, he lost interest in investigating food thereafter. He still swims around the tank and sits in the open, sometimes on a rock ledge or sometimes on the sand down in front. He does not appear to be bullied, chased or molested in any obvious way by the other fish.
Since that day, I have not seen him eat anything although I have tried plying him with live tigger pods, live enriched brine shrimp and various flakes and mini pellets. This weekend I noticed that his belly was becoming sunken in and I fear that he is beyond help and starving to death. Any thoughts on how to persuade this finicky little character to eat?
