Unable to remove goby after velvet outbreak

[Goldmund]

I had a thread a few weeks ago about what I thought was an ich outbreak, that turned out to be velvet. When it happened I was able to remove what I thought was all of the fish into a QT tank, where they later died.

As it turns out, a prawn goby that I had given up for dead 6 months ago was still in the tank. He's paired up with a pistol shrimp, and they have a pretty good network of caves and tunnels going.

For the past few weeks I've tried everything I can think of to get him out, from netting to multiple traps using several types of food. I haven't fed outside of the traps for over a week now, but still no luck. I don't want to starve the little guy, so I'm going to have to relent soon.

Do I have any options if I am unable to get this goby out? I'd hate to restock my fish, only to have them suffer through another velvet outbreak. But removing every bit of rock and sand to get this little bugger isn't really an option.

 

[gone fishin]

Unfortunately the only option I know of that the velvet is gone is to remove the goby somehow. This may entail removing some rock to catch the guy. Then leaving the tank fallow for 6 weeks. I wish you luck in catching the goby.

 

[Goldmund]

Unfortunately the only option I know of that the velvet is gone is to remove the goby somehow. This may entail removing some rock to catch the guy. Then leaving the tank fallow for 6 weeks. I wish you luck in catching the goby.

I guess I knew that was the only real answer. Just kicking myself because I removed most of the rock to get the other fish out, and then cemented it all together when I put it back in.

 

[Sk8r]

If you want to take the chance, you can simply assume that, once the other fish are cured, you are going to put them back in AS cured and not get any other fish for the next 8 months, say, period. If you haven't had any other incidence of disease, at the end of that time, you could add a fish. And it probably wouldn't get sick.

The deal is---it's better to acquire your fish, settle them in, and just forget about getting any new fish for the next number of years, no matter if you lose one, whatever. Just don't run a constantly changing cast of characters. Get them, and be done for a very long time.

 

[Goldmund]

I broke down and spent the afternoon tearing apart my aquascape, but in the end I was able to catch the goby and get him into QT.

Before:


After:

If you want to take the chance, you can simply assume that, once the other fish are cured, you are going to put them back in AS cured and not get any other fish for the next 8 months, say, period. If you haven't had any other incidence of disease, at the end of that time, you could add a fish. And it probably wouldn't get sick.

The deal is---it's better to acquire your fish, settle them in, and just forget about getting any new fish for the next number of years, no matter if you lose one, whatever. Just don't run a constantly changing cast of characters. Get them, and be done for a very long time.

Unfortunately the goby was the only survivor. Now that he's out, the plan is to QT him for the six weeks that the tank is fallow. I've got equipment to run a few QT at once, so I'll probably pick up the rest of the fish I'm planning in the next few weeks and QT them separately.

 

[Sk8r]

Good job. THat's the best choice. But do, once you get everything settled again, try to get all the fish you ever want, get them in, and just plan for them to survive a long time. Lifespan on the small guys tends to run 3 years, five to ten for the mid-size, if that helps.

 

[Goldmund]

Good job. THat's the best choice. But do, once you get everything settled again, try to get all the fish you ever want, get them in, and just plan for them to survive a long time. Lifespan on the small guys tends to run 3 years, five to ten for the mid-size, if that helps.

Thanks Sk8r. That was definitely the plan last time, I hadn't added a fish in six months and wasn't planning to add more. Velvet came in with a blue tuxedo urchin that I gambled on not quarantining.

 

[gone fishin]

That is a bummer about having to tear everything apart , but in the end it will be worth it for a healthy tank. Good luck with your upcoming QT's

 

[Sk8r]

For various reasons, giving inverts at least an intermediate bath is a good thing. They do contain water from sale tanks in their insides, as do fish, and just giving them time to wash off and take in new water for a few hours is not a bad notion if you really don't want to import anything from the sale tank. Likewise, get your inverts from an lfs that doesn't keep softie coral, fish, and inverts all on one sump, or trade nets/dip vessels about. I know that for lfs, economy and convenience are important, but getting corals and inverts OFF the fish system is a reasonable service for little more than a second sump and pump, to keep it a clean shop.