just added a brand new yellow watchman goby to the tank a couple days ago. my Tight fitting lid fits tightly. I took it off the to scape the bottom walls where some algae were growing and my lazy snails didn’t feel like getting it because it’s Friday afternoon and they couldnt wait for the weekend.
the watchman was snooping around the powerheads near the top of the tank as I was cleaning but I wasn’t really paying attention because it was hard to concentrate with all the screaming algae. at some point, in my imagination, I heard flopping. I checked for YWG, but no where to be seen. Looked around for about 20 seconds but this time I for real heard sounds from behind the tank. I had to crawl up on top of the bar where the tank is parked and used a flashlight and saw him BEHIND The tank in a place that is truly not accessible with about 5 inches of clearance. I dont know how long he has been back there. I wet my hand and try to grab him but he’s not into it and starts flopping around. I start planning his funeral with my kids as I stretch down to try to grab him. No luck. Seconds are ticking by and I don’t have an automatic external defibrillator handy, much less the fish pads required for appropriate connection. He is for sure a goner. Anyway, as I was giving up hope, that guy chomps down on my finger and I am able to lift him up dangling back into the tank. anatomy lesson: gobies have teeth. He won’t let go but eventually I shake him loose and he sinks to the bottom of the tank. He may have been out for two minutes or more… will he survive? Do I need to do anything? Do I call 911? should I set up fish icu? How do I prevent this in the future?
the watchman was snooping around the powerheads near the top of the tank as I was cleaning but I wasn’t really paying attention because it was hard to concentrate with all the screaming algae. at some point, in my imagination, I heard flopping. I checked for YWG, but no where to be seen. Looked around for about 20 seconds but this time I for real heard sounds from behind the tank. I had to crawl up on top of the bar where the tank is parked and used a flashlight and saw him BEHIND The tank in a place that is truly not accessible with about 5 inches of clearance. I dont know how long he has been back there. I wet my hand and try to grab him but he’s not into it and starts flopping around. I start planning his funeral with my kids as I stretch down to try to grab him. No luck. Seconds are ticking by and I don’t have an automatic external defibrillator handy, much less the fish pads required for appropriate connection. He is for sure a goner. Anyway, as I was giving up hope, that guy chomps down on my finger and I am able to lift him up dangling back into the tank. anatomy lesson: gobies have teeth. He won’t let go but eventually I shake him loose and he sinks to the bottom of the tank. He may have been out for two minutes or more… will he survive? Do I need to do anything? Do I call 911? should I set up fish icu? How do I prevent this in the future?
