my dragon goby died

[lilmolly]

I had a wonderful 8'' dragon goby that would eat shrimp pellets. I recently moved him to a new 29gal. I used a convict to cycle it and when the water chemistry was right I added him and a four lined pictus catfish. He lived in it for about a week then died. He seemed to be loosing weight right before I moved him and he devepoled a lump in his throut, but he was the most active I've ever seen him after he was in the 29gal. The water chemisrty was fine in the old tank too. He was almost always swiming around. He looked great in that tank. I wish of two the pictus would have died in stead because he is alway hiding even though he is pretty. Poor Jerry

 

[CFC]

Sorry for your loss but your dragon goby probably died because you had it in freshwater. The majority of dragon gobies sold in lfs are Gobioides broussonetii which spawns in fresh water but adults live in in brackish water. After the eggs hatch the young fish live in freshwater for a while before heading down river to the esturine brackish areas where they stay until they get the urge to spawn and move up river again for a short while. Most dragon gobies die within a year from not being fed correctly (they are filter feeders and need to be fed small live foods) and not being kept in brackish water with a SG of at least 1.005

There is a species of dragon goby called Gobioides peruanus which can spend its entire life in freshwater but for some reason the fish is rarely seen in the trade, they are difficult to tell apart but G.peruanus can be identified from G.broussonetii by its lack of dark vertical bands and smaller adult size.

I would urge people NOT to buy this fish unless you are prepared to cater for its very specialist needs and keep it in brackish water.

 

[lilmolly]

The old tank he was in was a brackish tank. The four lined pictus was just along for the ride. When I moved him however, I forgot about this and he was in a freshwater tank. So now the pictus is probably happier.

 

[Max]

sorry for your loss....

thanks for the info on the saltanity level of the water cfc, i have a question to ask you... when i do water changes should i add some more salt? and what about adding more if its a marine tanks...?

sorry i know wrong forum but it might help somone with a brackish oddball

 

[CFC]

When keeping a brackish tank you should pre mix the brackish water before water changes, see this artical for more information on setting up and maintaining brackish tanks http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=42435 .