Impulse Buy... Bumblebee Gobies Help!

Never, ever go into a new LFS if you are feeling under the weather! Impulsive purchases are certain to be afflicted!
So yesterday, I found myself accidentally on purpose the proud new owner of 5 freshwater Bumblebee Gobies (they have been living and breeding quite happily in a 5 gallon very densely planted fresh water tank in the LFS for over a year). Usually I do my research BEFORE purchasing a new species of fish, but not this time. So, on the way home, I discovered that firstly, they are considered a brackish species, and that, secondly, they are reported to be fussy eaters (which is not good for a newbie like me!). As soon as I learnt of their water preferences, I contacted the LFS and they told me what I added above, that the fish I got was used to fresh water conditions.
So I came home, acclimated them and added them to my one Endler tank. Prior to adding the 5 Gobies, I only had a single male and two female (plus 3 fry) Tiger Endlers Livebearers in the tank.
Now, the tank... it is an 8 gallon tank, completely cycled, moderately planted with live plants and with a course sand substrate. It is heated, filtered and has tested negative for ammonia and nitrites and very low nitrates (>0.5) for the past two months.
To get to the problem: they will not eat. They have spurts of energetic swimming around (even tried to snatch a fry, but it was waaay too quick for the little Goby!) but spend the majority of their short time in their new tank lying on the gravel. I tried pellets - one ate a piece, but the others are completely uninterested. So this morning I tried frozen bloodworms (which I feed to my Bettas), but nobody except the Endlers were interested...I do not have the space or money to create a brine shrimp hatchery (which I read somewhere is the best food source for them) and do not know what to do next. Can anybody help? They are such beautiful fish, I would hate to loose them! Taking them back is out of the question - I bought them from a LFS that is about two hours away and I do not own a car.

 

I have read that bumblebees don't want stationary food, but you can take a turkey baster and use it to suck the food up and down, and make it move around.

 

That sounds like a good idea...only finding turkey basters in SA is difficult! They are considered 'elite kitchen utensils' and is very expensive. I am going to a local lifestyle store tomorrow and they sometimes have cheap knock-offs.

 

Could you start a grindal worm culture? They don't need much room.

 

Not sure - I'll go check.

Well, the process seems simple enough...only I don't seem to find any source for a Grindal worm culture in SA. Would Walter Worms Walter Worm – Starter Culture – Nano Aquatics work, or are they too small?

 

It probably wouldn't be enough to sustain them. Others may have some ideas.

 

That sounds like a good idea...only finding turkey basters in SA is difficult! They are considered 'elite kitchen utensils' and is very expensive.

Seriously? It's nuts what can be completely standard (disposable, even) in one country and a luxury item in another.

 

What was your LFS feeding them? I know with my pea puffers it took a few days to get them to eat. I would hold the bloodworms with long tweezers (for plants) and wiggle them around some, to see if that helps them go after them.

 

They fed them brine shrimp. I’ll try out the tweezers idea tomorrow. Thanks for the tip!

 

Do you have a lot of mosquitos near your area?

Live mosquito larvae is a favorite among all of my fish.

 

Yes I do. Unfortunately, I am the favorite mozie snack - they fly right past my mom to bute me. Though I don’t mind trying. Just attempted to feed them with tweezers and there was no interest in eating at all. How long can Bumbelbee Gobies go without eating?

And another failure. After paying R160 (about $15) for a baster, and trying to animate frozen bloodworms in front of each Goby, nothing has been achieved except frustration. Is it possible for them to become less fussy after a few days of fasting? Live foods are out - the only culture available are Walter Worms and they are apparently even smaller than micro worms.

 

Oh, that's so frustrating! Are you feeding them exactly the same food they ate at the fish store? If you don't know, could you call them to see if they have a trick? Look around outside for dirty old standing water which might have mosquito larvae that you could collect?

 

That is a good idea! I will call them tomorrow and ask.

 

Any luck with the bumblebees?

 

Of the original 5, 4 have died and one is still going strong. I have no idea what he is eating, though I suspect he is eating some of the pellets I give to the Endlers each day.

 

I'm so sorry to hear that! I hope that the surviving bumblebee lives a long and happy life.

 

How strange, I also impulse bought a pair of bumblebee gobies.

But I stared at mine and saw them eat frozen bloodworms when they were moved by the current.

Mine also get slices of earthworm. (I buy earthworms for the axolotl) I slice tiny pieces of the worm’s tail and the gobies eat them.