Encyclopaedia
Oddtooth Clown Goby
Gobiodon heterodon
A tiny clown goby with unique dentition, strictly associated with branching Acropora corals.
- Family
- Gobiidae
- Origin
- Pacifico occidentale: dall'Indonesia e Filippine fino alla Grande Barriera Corallina.
- Origin
- Tropical oceans and reefsExtra-Amazon South AmericaSouth and Southeast AsiaAustralia, New Guinea, and Oceania
- Tank use
- Used in 0 tanks
Share
24 °C - 28 °C
8.1 - 8.4
Marine
Bottom
3.5 cm
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Western Tropical Pacific: East Indonesia, Philippines, and the Great Barrier Reef. Inhabits shallow lagoons, living within live Acropora branches.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Gobiidae. Scaleless, deep-bodied, covered with toxic skin mucus. Characterized by specialized teeth. Reaches a maximum length of 3.5 cm.
Social Behavior: Sedentary and coral-dwelling. Lives in pairs and is territorial towards other Gobiodon. Extremely peaceful with other genera.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Reddish-brown or olive-green body, sometimes with faint vertical markings on the head. No sexual dimorphism.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Aquarium Setup: Suitable for nano reef aquariums of at least 40 liters. Housed best with live branching Acropora corals.
Diet and Feeding: Carnivorous. Feeds on zooplankton. Provide fine foods like cyclops, copepods, and rotifers three times daily.
Water Quality: Maintain stable marine parameters: temperature 24-28 °C, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity SG 1.020-1.025. Standard reef filtration.
Compatibility and Cohabitation: Peaceful with other tankmates. Do not house with large predatory fish. May nip host coral tissue to lay eggs.
Aquarium Breeding: Bidirectional hermaphrodite. Monogamous pairs lay eggs on host coral branches. Captive breeding is difficult due to larval size.
Risks and Diseases: Starvation in newly set up tanks. High resistance to skin parasites due to its thick, toxic mucus coat.
Fish profile
- Temperament
- Pacifico
- Diet
- Carnivoro
- Tank level
- Bottom
- Minimum group
- 1
- Adult size
- 3.5 cm
- Minimum tank volume
- 40 L
- GH
- n/a
- KH
- 8 dKH - 12 dKH
- TDS
- n/a
- Conductivity
- n/a
- Sex ratio
- Coppia
- Feeding frequency
- 3 volte al giorno
- Bioload
- Low
- Flow
- Moderato
- Reproduction
- Ermafrodita bidirezionale. Depone uova adesive sui rami del corallo.
- Compatibility & tankmates
- Molto pacifico. Può pizzicare leggermente i polipi di Acropora per stimolare la deposizione delle uova.
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.
