Burrow's Clown Goby

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Tropical Indo-Pacific. Associated with protected coral reefs, living mainly in commensal symbiosis with hard corals of the genus Acropora.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Gobiidae. Reaches about 5 cm in length. Laterally compressed body, scaleless and covered with defensive toxic mucus.

Social Behavior: Peaceful reef fish. Spends its time motionless on coral branches, actively defending its position against rival conspecifics.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Yellow-orange or olive coloration with light highlights. Displays thin bluish lines near the eye and translucent fins. No visible sexual dimorphism.

Aquarium Setup: Aquarium of at least 40 liters (10 gallons) with a mature colony of Acropora or similar stony corals. Does not require a sandy substrate for burrowing.

Diet and Feeding: Carnivore. Offer small pieces of frozen food (mysis, brine shrimp, lobster eggs). May be reluctant to accept dry food initially.

Water Quality: Temperature 23-28°C (73-82°F), pH 8.0-8.5, specific gravity 1.022-1.026. Important to maintain high nutrient stability in the water column.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Suitable for reef aquariums. May annoy the polyps of the hard corals it resides on, sometimes causing temporary polyp retraction.

Aquarium Breeding: Reproduction is difficult in captivity. Lays small clutches of adhesive eggs on the calcareous branches of hard corals.

Risks and Diseases: Although not a classic jumper, a cover is still recommended. Handle with care due to irritating skin mucus.