Watchman Goby Mouth Growth

[jerrodm]

My YWG was fine when I first got him, he hides a lot so I am not exactly sure when this started, but I found him out and about last night and he has a milky white gel like growth around his mouth and looks to be having trouble moving his mouth correctly. I'm not sure what my phosphates are but I know I have 0 ppm NH3, 0 NO2 and around 20 ppm NO3. My water looks prestine, but my poor goby doesn't. I have a QT but no Hospital tank, how can I quickly buy and set up a hospital tank to treat whatever this is.

Does anybody know what this could be, what I should treat it with, and how to set up a quick hospital tank? I have a spare 5.5 gallon and a heater and small powerhead for flow, but I don't know what kind of filtration and I don't have time to establish a bio-filter. Argh!

 

[HumbleFish]

Post a pic if you can. What you are describing can be any number of things; from Lymphocystis virus which you can't treat but usually goes away on it's own, to a dangerous bacterial infection requiring antibiotics.

 

[jerrodm]

I'll try, I'm at work at the moment, but I maybe see my goby pop out when my lights go down at evening and maybe only one out of three days, he's a shy little guy. Any suggestions on how to lure him into the open? I don't even know where he hides, there's lots of holes and caves in my tank :\

 

[HumbleFish]

I'll try, I'm at work at the moment, but I maybe see my goby pop out when my lights go down at evening and maybe only one out of three days, he's a shy little guy. Any suggestions on how to lure him into the open? I don't even know where he hides, there's lots of holes and caves in my tank :\

Try shutting off all your pumps, and target feed an open space with something yummy like frozen brine/mysis. My goby always comes out for that.

 

[jerrodm]

not a bad plan, thanks!