Encyclopaedia
Linesnout Goby
Elacatinus lori
A beautiful and rare black-striped goby, strictly associated with tube sponges.
- Family
- Gobiidae
- Origin
- Caraibi occidentali: barriere coralline del Belize e di Honduras.
- Origin
- Tropical oceans and reefsExtra-Amazon South AmericaCentral America and Caribbean
- Tank use
- Used in 0 tanks
Share
23 °C - 27 °C
8.1 - 8.4
Marine
Bottom
4.5 cm
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Western Caribbean: endemic to reefs of Belize and Honduras. Found on deep outer reefs, living in close association with large tube sponges.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Gobiidae. Slender transparent body with pelvic fins modified into an adhesive suction cup. Reaches up to 4.5 cm.
Social Behavior: Peaceful and shy. Resides in pairs on or inside the host tube sponges, quickly retreating inside when approached.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Translucent to whitish body with a sharp, black longitudinal stripe from snout to tail. Pointed snout. No sexual dimorphism.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Aquarium Setup: Suitable for nano reef tanks of at least 40 liters. Providing live or replica tube sponges is recommended. Secure lid required.
Diet and Feeding: Carnivorous. Feeds on zooplankton. Accepts frozen copepods, rotifers, and fine microgranules. Feed multiple times daily.
Water Quality: Maintain stable marine parameters: temperature 23-27 °C, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity SG 1.020-1.025. Reef filtration needed.
Compatibility and Cohabitation: Peaceful with all tankmates. Best kept with quiet species. Do not house with large predatory fish.
Aquarium Breeding: Spawns inside the host sponge. The male guards the adhesive eggs. Captive rearing of larvae is difficult.
Risks and Diseases: Starvation in newly set up tanks. Highly resistant to typical skin parasites due to its mucus layer, but prone to jumping.
Fish profile
- Temperament
- Pacifico
- Diet
- Carnivoro
- Tank level
- Bottom
- Minimum group
- 1
- Adult size
- 4.5 cm
- Minimum tank volume
- 40 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
- Ermafrodita proteroginico. Depone uova adesive all'interno delle spugne ospiti.
- Compatibility & tankmates
- Estremamente pacifico. Richiede la presenza di spugne per sentirsi sicuro e prosperare.
Ecological Estimates & Biological Models
- Trophic level
- 3.6 ± 0.4 se
- Resilience
- High (less than 15 months)
- Phylogenetic uniqueness (PD50)
- 0.5
- Bayesian Length-Weight
- a = 0.01023, b = 3.01
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.
