Yellow watchman goby with red streaks along his mouth?

[jfingers8]

Hi everyone im new to this forum. I have a 90 gallon tank and i have a yellow watchman goby paired up with a pistol shrimp that i got yesterday. He looked fine all day today but now i noticed that he has like a red streak on each side of his mouth. It looks like a bacterial infection not sure though. If it is will it cure on it own or do i have to cure him?

 

[matts125]

Welcome to Reef Frontiers!!

do you have a QT tank?
if so you will need to put it in QT with medicine, as for what kind of medicine we would need to know what is wrong with the fish, do you have any pictures of it? that would help diagnose the problem..
also what are your water parameters?

Matt

 

[jfingers8]

i do have a QT don't have any pictures. temp 79, s.g 1.025, nitrates nitrites and ammonia 0 ph 8.2

 

[jfingers8]

Can they get over bacterial infections by themself or do you have to cure them? and like i said not sure if that is what it is.

 

[matts125]

thats why we need a picture to tell, I dont know what to suggest with out seeing the problem..

some say mela fix works ok on infections but I wouldnt say I ever had any luck with it when I tried it...

Matt

 

[jfingers8]

i understand that and i appreciate your help but im just asking in general. Do you know if they can get over bacterial infections on there own or no?

 

[JRBear5658]

I cured a Foxface that i saved from a guy who was going to flush him. The fish had tail rot and I used melafix and pimafix together and that worked but I have never used melafix or pimafix any other time. but fin rot is a infection so it may help not sure though

JR

 

[matts125]

well in most cases they dont, especially a new addition in a new tank, they tend to go down hill pretty fast..

Matt

 

[jfingers8]

they can die off a bacterial infection?

 

[matts125]

they can die off a bacterial infection?

most definately. try to get a picture so we can give a more accurate cause to the problem, it will be the best way to figure out a treatment..

Matt

 

[jfingers8]

well the thing is i guess i am kind of out of luck because the camara i have isn't going to show in detail what is wrong so i guess you guys have no way of knowing how in the world would i catch this thing too to treat it?

 

[jfingers8]

the weird thing is matt if you go to google and type in yellow watchman goby and then click on images some of those watchman's have what im talking about i guess its normal

 

[matts125]

it may be, I am sure you understand it is hard to give you a remedi to something we can't see..

Good Luck

 

[jfingers8]

No i totally understand you don't want to give the wrong info out there thanks for your help anyway though.

 

[matts125]

I hope you enjoy it here, Reef Frontiers has a lot to offer as far as learning and just really enjoying the hobby!!

Matt

 

[jfingers8]

im sure i will

 

[steve-s]

I am assuming this fish was not quarantined at all?
How was it acclimated (detailed please)?
Are we talking about Valenciennea strigata?

Pimafix and Melafix are antibacterial remedies but will only benefit to some degree. What exact problems they will treat is even unknown to the manufacturer. It is a very hit and miss remedy that I personally would not trust the outcome of a "maybe".

The two main causes of what your seeing are either a systemic bacterial infection or a low pH problem. If the 8.2 pH is accurate and consistent (day/night?), I would look towards the systemic infection. In which case a QT stint with Maracyn II for a week would be in order. If this is very mild, you can also try several very large (25%+) water changes over several days this week. It could help the fish help itself in some cases, especially if this might be an external laceration. Given the presence of the pistol, that is also a possibility. If the problem persists, treating in a QT is the best option. It need not be pretty or even a tank, just functional.

 

[jfingers8]

yellow watchman is normal looked at many pictures and alot of them have that so im taking it that its normal.

 

[jake65]

If you are referring to the colored stripes down the side of the mouth, that is normal. Yours may have just brightened up a bit because he is happy to have a friend now. JMO Mine also has dark colored lines.
HTH