Peacock Goby

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Indo-West Pacific: India, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, and northern Australia. Found in shallow silty or muddy bays and protected reef lagoons down to 15 meters.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Gobiidae. Stout body with prominent eyes. Fan-like large dorsal fin reminiscent of a peacock tail. Reaches a maximum length of 15.0 cm.

Social Behavior: Symbiotic. Shares a sandy burrow with Alpheus snapping shrimp, acting as the eyes and lookout for the shrimp while it digs.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Olive-brown to greyish body with dark vertical bands. Silvery-blue spots scatter across the head and dorsal fin. Males have slightly longer fins.

Aquarium Setup: Requires a tank of at least 150 liters with a deep substrate of mixed sand, gravel, and shell rubble. Rock structures must be secure. Secure lid is mandatory.

Diet and Feeding: Carnivorous. Feeds on benthic invertebrates. Accepts frozen mysis, artemia, chopped table shrimp, and sinking carnivore pellets.

Water Quality: Keep reef parameters stable: temperature 22-26 °C, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity SG 1.020-1.025. Efficient filtration required.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Peaceful with open-water fish. Keep with a compatible Alpheus shrimp. Avoid housing with aggressive bottom dwellers.

Aquarium Breeding: Spawns inside the shared burrow. Both parents protect the nest. Rearing the planktonic larvae is extremely difficult.

Risks and Diseases: Known to jump if startled. Starvation risk if it does not establish its burrow with a shrimp partner.