Watchman goby acting strange

[Spacekitty]

I am posting this here in hopes it gets more attention than the fish disease forum, but move it if you want.

My watchmen goby has been sitting cheerfully in my DT for about a month and a half now. He had a rock cave he likes to sit in and eats anything that floats by. He occasionally wanders around the rest of the tank unless I walk by, then he hides. He was acting like that until about 20 minutes ago.

Now he is swimming up and down the side of the tank very quickly and isn't hiding when I come over or even when I put my hand against the tank. He refused food, which is also weird for him.

I don't notice any sort of spots or cuts on him and he has been acting normal up until now. He may be breathing slightly heavier, but not an extreme amount if at all. He coloration is his normal yellow. Hasn't turned grey at all. He shares the tank with a firefish, some shrimp, some snails, hermits, and corals.

First thing I did was test the water

Nirites 0
Nitrates 0
Phosphates between 0 and 0.25 (stupid API test kit), but the color looks pretty close to 0
Salinity 1.026
Ammonia 0

The firefish is acting like he normally does. Nothing has been changed in the tank today, or even this week. I am at loss to what is up with him

[Spacekitty]

I had to run off to work (I was running super late after testing the water), but before I left he was starting to act more normal. He had calmed down and was still swimming in odd parts of the tank, but was doing so slowly. And he bolted away when I walked near the tank. So hopefully something had just temporarily freaked him out.

[Sk8r]

Possibly he sees a reflection of himself. They will go nuts if offered a mirror: they hate rivals.

[Spacekitty]

I did just clean the glass yesterday now that I think about it. That's likely it. When I get home from work I will see how he is acting.

[Spacekitty]

He isn't chasing his reflection. He is now just perched on the side of the glass. Sitting there sideways like it is his rock

[CStrickland]

If you don't have a lid I would get something over the tank until he settles down.
Maybe check alk too, I think that can make fish fussy. But probs just being a weirdo :)

[Reefvet]

Now he is swimming up and down the side of the tank very quickly and isn't hiding when I come over or even when I put my hand against the tank. He refused food, which is also weird for him.



He's acting like a watchman goby. The yellow spotted one I have right now has done that periodically for the last 2 years.

I have no idea what spooks them into this behavior but it's not uncommon. It's a logical assumption that another fish has intruded on his safe haven and he's looking for another place to hide. Or not. Nobody knows.

In the dozen or so I've owned over the last couple of decades only one has jumped when exhibiting this behavior.

[Spacekitty]

Thanks for the advice guys. It makes me feel better that this is considered normal for them. I just got concerned because any behavior that is different than the normal, every day routine in pets can mean bad things. Of course sometimes you have an animal like a dog upset and you come to find out the pile of clean clothes on the bed is just stacked funny, in a very upsetting way. *sigh*
I am not so worried about the jumping because I have a solid lid on the tank because of my pain in the butt cat. Worst he can do it jump and smack his head on the top and land right back in water.