Encyclopaedia
Spikefin Goby
Discordipinna griessingeri
A spectacular and highly sought-after micro-goby, characterized by a highly developed spike-like dorsal fin and jerky movements.
- Family
- Gobiidae
- Origin
- Indo-Pacifico: dal Mar Rosso e coste dell'Africa orientale fino alle isole Marchesi.
- Origin
- Tropical oceans and reefsAfrica and Madagascar
- Tank use
- Used in 0 tanks
Share
22 °C - 26 °C
8.1 - 8.4
Marine
Bottom
3 cm
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Tropical Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Marquesas Islands. Inhabits rubble zones and reef caves down to 40 meters deep.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the Gobiidae family. Compact body with a highly elongated first dorsal fin. Reaches a maximum length of 3.0 cm.
Social Behavior: Peaceful and shy. Moves in a signature jerky fashion, raising and lowering its large dorsal fin like a flag when alert.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Intricate pattern of orange, black, and red spots on a white head, with horizontal red lines on the body. No sexual dimorphism.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Aquarium Setup: Best kept in nano reef systems of at least 30 liters. Provide plenty of micro-caves in the rockwork and a tight lid.
Diet and Feeding: Carnivorous. Feeds on zooplankton. Provide fine frozen foods like copepods, cyclops, and rotifers near its shelter.
Water Quality: Keep reef parameters stable: temperature 22-26 °C, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity SG 1.020-1.025. Standard reef filtration.
Compatibility and Cohabitation: Extremely peaceful. Must only be housed with very small, docile tankmates. Avoid active swimmers.
Aquarium Breeding: Not documented in home aquaria due to larval size and pelagic phase complexity.
Risks and Diseases: Starvation risk due to competition with faster tankmates. Prone to jumping if startled.
Fish profile
- Temperament
- Pacifico
- Diet
- Carnivoro
- Tank level
- Bottom
- Minimum group
- 1
- Adult size
- 3 cm
- Minimum tank volume
- 30 L
- GH
- n/a
- KH
- 8 dKH - 12 dKH
- TDS
- n/a
- Conductivity
- n/a
- Sex ratio
- Singolo o Coppia
- Feeding frequency
- 2-3 volte al giorno
- Bioload
- Low
- Flow
- Moderato
- Jump risk
- Covered tank required
- Reproduction
- La riproduzione in acquario domestico è estremamente rara e poco documentata.
- Compatibility & tankmates
- Pacifico ma timido. Adatto esclusivamente a nano reef con inquilini piccoli e tranquilli.
Ecological Estimates & Biological Models
- Trophic level
- 3.1 ± 0.3 se
- Resilience
- High (less than 15 months)
- Phylogenetic uniqueness (PD50)
- 0.75
- Bayesian Length-Weight
- a = 0.00741, b = 3.09
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
Related species
Other recommended species with similar care requirements and water parameters.
