Link's Goby not eating

[mystersyster]

Anyone have a biota captive bred links goby? Mine isn't eating any prepared foods, pellets, mysis, or masstick. He only seems to pull tufts of algae off of rocks. I think he's getting skinny. Anyone have any insight into this little fish?

[A Little Blue]

If it’s truly captive bred, it should not have problems with prepared food. It’s a sand sifting goby. Do you have established sandbed, how long ago did you get him, any other tankmates with higher aggression? It could be stressed out. You can email breeder this question and hope for some pointers. 

[mystersyster]

Just now, A Little Blue said:

If it’s truly captive bred, it should not have problems with prepared food. It’s a sand sifting goby. Do you have established sandbed, how long ago did you get him, any other tankmates with higher aggression? It could be stressed out. You can email breeder this question and hope for some pointers. 

It is truly captive bred which has got me wondering. I'll try to reach out to them

[A Little Blue]

5 minutes ago, mystersyster said:

It is truly captive bred which has got me wondering. I'll try to reach out to them

Best way to go about it. Perhaps he/she can suggest specific food they use on their farm. Try to give them a general idea about your tank as well. It could be helpful in figuring out the cause of his rebellious hunger strike. 

[SaltyBuddha]

My captive yasha goby would not take food if it was too large. Would not even go for it. I switched from 1mm pellets to .5mm pellets and he is eating much more consistently now. I also dice up frozen foods to make it easier as well. 

[jesseatam]

Mine took pellets right away, but that was in a bare bottom qt tank. However, since hes been in the display I have not seen him eating any of the food I put in but that isn’t to say he that he’s not grabbing leftovers from the sand bed. Make sure the pellets you’re offering are soft and small though, the hikari marine small pellets worked great for me. I found the 1mm spectrum pellets to be both too large and too hard for my goby, you could try soaking them for a while first to soften them up though.

[mystersyster]

4 hours ago, jesseatam said:

Mine took pellets right away, but that was in a bare bottom qt tank. However, since hes been in the display I have not seen him eating any of the food I put in but that isn’t to say he that he’s not grabbing leftovers from the sand bed. Make sure the pellets you’re offering are soft and small though, the hikari marine small pellets worked great for me. I found the 1mm spectrum pellets to be both too large and too hard for my goby, you could try soaking them for a while first to soften them up though.

I use the same pellets. He just swims away from them interstingly. He may be going back for them as they get soft on the sand. Who knows. Hate to see a fish wither away, but I guess it's his choice.

[jesseatam]

15 hours ago, mystersyster said:

I use the same pellets. He just swims away from them interstingly. He may be going back for them as they get soft on the sand. Who knows. Hate to see a fish wither away, but I guess it's his choice.

Mine does the same too now but has been keeping his weight up so I haven’t gotten too worried. Maybe try soaking the food in garlic beforehand?

[lobster876]

i take frozen brine shrimp and mix it with reef roids in a cup and that seems to work the best.

[mystersyster]

Thanks everyone. I started breaking up my masstick and placing it in three different spots. He was picking at it on the back of the tank finally, so that's good.