Goby - Ich/Velvet?

[MommaFishels]

I have a Diamond Watchman Goby in quarantine that I bought two days ago. Looked great at the store, and this morning I am seeing white spots. I'm assuming this is the dreaded Ich or Velvet. At this point it only appears to be on the fins, but that might be because I can't see any on his body because his body is white. Since the fins are translucent, I can see them there. Also, I just looked again and think I see a few white spots on his head. Thoughts?

The spots are white, but appear black in some of the pictures for some reason. It's hard to get a good picture, but here's what I have.

 

[austinsdad]

Not sure anything is wrong with him. I'll check my goby tomorrow 'cause I believe I see similar spots on his fins. Never heard of gobies getting that stuff, but I'm sure someone will tell us both different.

Velvet is a disease that seems to exhibit on the fins and kills very fast. I had an outbreak of that when I got my first tank years ago. Killed nine fish and the goby lived for years later annd never contracted it. Velvet kinda looks like fine specs of sand or salt on the fish. Begins in the gills and spreads.

 

[MommaFishels]

OK, here are two more pictures with a bit better quality. In the pic goby4.jpg you can clearly see the white spots on the fins. In pic goby5.jpg, the fins show up as black when viewed against the white substrate. Note in both pics the spots along the bottom of the chin. I never noticed them when looking at the fish, but they are clearly visible in the pics.

If I look really closely with the aid of a flashlight, I believe he has spots on his body as well, but being that is body is white, it is hard to tell.

I've also read that gobies are pretty disease resistant, but I'm pretty sure this poor guy has something wrong with him. He has also been sifting sand, but will not accept mysis or brine, even if presented right in front of him with a turkey baster. I know they get their food by sand sifting, but is there anything else I can do to provide the proper nutrition for him while in QT?

 

[austinsdad]

Have you tried soaking his food in garlic? It may trigger his appetite, and also boost his immune system. Frozen or live brine? Sometime live brine will make the instinctive feeding kick in. If you try it, let the brine swim in a little bit of water and the garlic for a half hour maybe. Add some zoe (vitamin) too and they fill themselves. Otherwise, live brine is no good nutritionally.

I gotta wait until my lights come on today, because I think mine looks the same way on his fins.

 

[austinsdad]

Are those spots like all in a row? My shrimp goby is full of them on his fins. Are those on you fish more random?

 

[MommaFishels]

They are more random. I'm not talking about the irredescent looking dots that travel down the bone lines of the fins. Look at the picture goby4.jpg and you will see both the irredescent dots, as well as the bigger white dots towards the outer edge of the fin.

BTW, I got some garlic today and it did the trick. The goby ate about everything in the tank and is still eating anything left over and sifting sand for the last hour. There is a Bangaai cardinal in QT with the goby who hasn't been eating either. He ate about 3 pieces of mysis shrimp soaked in garlic, but that's about it.

 

[austinsdad]

Dunno know what to say about the spots. No experience in that and treating. Just my velvet outbreak in 2004. Maybe hyposalinity? How's the cardinal?

Glad the garlic worked. maybe he can build his strength up and immunity by eating now.

 

[MommaFishels]

The Cardinal is fine other than he is eating very little. No spots or anything like that, looks healthy as a horse except for a slightly sunken stomach.

The Goby on the other hand has still been sifting sand since he was fed with the garlic, that stuff really turned him around!! Interestingly enough, after the feeding with garlic, I can now only see two very small spots on one of his fins, all the other white spots are gone!!

 

[austinsdad]

I'd leave them both in that QT tank for 4 weeks After you see the last spots.

 

[MommaFishels]

Thanks for all the help austinsdad.

 

[melosu58]

My first inkling is that is that it is ick. I`ve seen fish with it on their fins but your goby is a very hardy fish. He should be OK. Here are a few articles on ick that you might want to read up on.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-10/sp/feature/index.php