Pink Spotted Watchman Goby

[hikarishadow]

Hey,
I just wanted to share a new fish I brought home as a bit of a rescue from Petco, a pink spotted watchman goby (Cryptocentrus leptocephalus). The other fish in the store system were four tangs with septicemia, a puffer smothering in a cloud of ick like Pigpen from Peanuts, and a snapper with popeye. I know this sounds like a terrible decision, but I happened to have an empty, fully cycled tank as an available QT and couldn't let this pretty little guy die there, especially since he's a good four inches!

It's been a month now and he's happily settled without any issues. He lives with a freebie hitchhiker crab (I believe it's called a floral egg crab, atergatis floridus).

Anyway, here's the picture. Sorry the quality isn't great. It was just a phone snap since he's terrified of the silver ring on the good camera's lens.

On a sidenote, I've seen a lot of these beefy guys popping up in several fish stores. Any idea why they're just now coming in with such numbers?

 

[miketay89]

Very nice and healthy looking fish. Good Save!

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Nice save! It's a beautiful little fish. I've been on the look out for one of those for a while now.

 

[twiggyb]

I love mine! It used to perch all over the place, but for the last year it recently made a home under some rocks. Now it's just a little harder to make sure he gets some food :lol:

 

[ssavader]

Beautiful coloration and very healthy looking. How did the other rescued fish fair?

 

[hikarishadow]

Beautiful coloration and very healthy looking. How did the other rescued fish fair?

I didn't rescue any others. Unfortunately, none of them looked possible to save. The tangs were streaked with red from their noses, to gills, and through bellies down to the tail. The puffer was cowering in what I can only guess to be a prayer for a speedy death. The snapper, I found out later, was given a few attempts at treatment, but inexperience won and he died as well.

I don't think those stores should be allowed to carry fish unless they have a team member who has a background in aquatics. But I also get upset when I see people giving away goldfish in bowls as prizes (no labyrinth organ and no filter=a horrible way to die!).