yellow watchman goby

[spardoin]

I purchased a yellow watchman goby 10 days ago from LFS. It seems to be doing well, but I am worried about how much it is getting to eat. They told me I did not need anything to supplement its food, that it would just eat what was on the bottom. In reading books, one thing I do my very best not to do is over feed my fish, so not much if any pellets are falling to the bottom for it to eat. Occasionally when I feed it comes up and is searching for food sinking to the bottom, but my other fish always get to it first. Should I supplement?

 

[jbdreefs]

I am experiencing the same thing, with slight differences.

I rescued a YWG about two weeks ago. He stayed hidden in his cave about two weeks. He would eat the food that floated by his cave on occasion. He came out of his cave a couple days ago and was hanging out on my mag float. When I fed, he was definitely in the mix, eating plenty.

To my surprise, I found him in my sump last night. I have no clue how he managed to get there. It's impossible to jump into the overflow because they are covered. He has some tricks. Anyways. I'm going to leave him there for a few days while I try to make him fat. Then, I'll put him in the DT again and target feed him every other day with a turkey baster.

 

[budsreef]

Do you have a baster or eye dropper that you can use to spot feed? I have a child's medicine feeder that I have used to squirt food towards the fish to spot feed.

 

[raz0945]

I have 2 yellow watchmans and 1 pinkbar, I have a plastic tube that I drop pellets to them. They learn fast that it means food, and one will jump for the end of the tube. I do this at least 3 times a week, They do get a little of the others foods I feed(I feed very heavy and do my weekly water changes). They are in different tanks with their pistol shrimps. I got my clear plastic tube at Aviarium, one of our sponsors.. Holley

 

[kirkwood]

I had 2 YWG's that both wound up jumping out of the tank. Anyone else have this problem?

Your feeding issue sounds about right as they seem to be slow acclimators to the feeding routines we keep and comfort level in exposing themselves in the tank to potential predators. Once they realize that they won't be harmed, they tend to show themselves more often... I think after 10-14 days mine became more comfortable and was more visible.. Mine started feeding on mysis as I would pour some in front of a power head and it would blow clear across the tank towards the YWG bunker and he would pop out and feed... You'd see him swimming in the current waiting for it to come his way.. This prevented the other fish from getting all the food as they tended to stay where i was pouring it into the tank and not chase it once the power head blew it away... If you see your YWG sifting the sand then I think its safe to assume it is feeding on the detritus in there, but I'm sure you'd rest easier if you saw him eat during feeding time.

Any plans on pairing him up with a pistol shrimp?

Edit:

Raz0945;729952 wrote: I have 2 yellow watchmans and 1 pinkbar, I have a plastic tube that I drop pellets to them. They learn fast that it means food, and one will jump for the end of the tube. I do this at least 3 times a week, They do get a little of the others foods I feed(I feed very heavy and do my weekly water changes). They are in different tanks with their pistol shrimps. I got my clear plastic tube at Aviarium, one of our sponsors.. Holley

how has your experience been with the YWG and pistol pair? I've heard that the pistols can get annoying if they constantly are popping their claw and that they could even potentially break the tank glass?? also heard they could kill cleaner shrimp. Did yours pair in your tank or did you buy them paired?

 

[spardoin]

If I were to target feed, which I will try, I suspect that at the sight of the tube he would hide. Someone recommended a kid medicine dispenser. But the second I stick my hand in, it hides.

 

[dawgface]

Feed cyclopeeze, in my nano that is all I feed.

 

[slayers911]

I actually hand feed both my yellow watchman and my engineer small shrimp (is that redundant??). I break them in half and give each half every couple of days although they still come out and eat when I feed everything else.....

 

[redstang]

Mine hid for quite a while as well. I dropped pellets into it's cave and assume it was eating them. I bought mine in August and in the last month or so it's demeanor has changed completely. It now regularly swims around the tank, doesn't bolt for it's hole every time it sees movement outside the tank, participates in feeding time, and even lets me pet it.

Give it time. I try to make sure mine gets a little something to eat just to make me feel better though it's probably doubled in size since I bought it. Around November/December I was regretting buying it because it hid so often and now I'm thrilled with it.

Side note, just read a thread on RC where someone just lost one that was 12 years old. Impressive and puts in perspective how happy I am that mine is 6 months!

 

[raz0945]

All fish and gobies will jump! I have the mesh lids on my tanks. I have never had a problem with them not pairing. I buy them at the same time, acclimate them in the same container and put them in at the same time close to a cave or hole between the rocks.

Kirkwood;729984 wrote: I had 2 YWG's that both wound up jumping out of the tank. Anyone else have this problem?

Your feeding issue sounds about right as they seem to be slow acclimators to the feeding routines we keep and comfort level in exposing themselves in the tank to potential predators. Once they realize that they won't be harmed, they tend to show themselves more often... I think after 10-14 days mine became more comfortable and was more visible.. Mine started feeding on mysis as I would pour some in front of a power head and it would blow clear across the tank towards the YWG bunker and he would pop out and feed... You'd see him swimming in the current waiting for it to come his way.. This prevented the other fish from getting all the food as they tended to stay where i was pouring it into the tank and not chase it once the power head blew it away... If you see your YWG sifting the sand then I think its safe to assume it is feeding on the detritus in there, but I'm sure you'd rest easier if you saw him eat during feeding time.

Any plans on pairing him up with a pistol shrimp?

Edit:

how has your experience been with the YWG and pistol pair? I've heard that the pistols can get annoying if they constantly are popping their claw and that they could even potentially break the tank glass?? also heard they could kill cleaner shrimp. Did yours pair in your tank or did you buy them paired?

Edit: They get use to the feeding tube fast, the tube will reach down to the bottom of the tank, the dropper will not without putting your hand in. Holley

spardoin;729996 wrote: If I were to target feed, which I will try, I suspect that at the sight of the tube he would hide. Someone recommended a kid medicine dispenser. But the second I stick my hand in, it hides.