Yellow clown goby
Gobiodon okinawae
The Yellow Clown Goby is a tiny, bright yellow marine fish that lives exclusively among Acropora coral branches in nano-reefs. It requires a micro-carnivore diet and excellent water quality.
Water Temperature
24 - 27 °C
pH Value
8.1 - 8.4
Water type
Marine
Tank level
Surface and middle
Adult size
4 cm
Minimum tank volume
>= 60 L
Minimum group
>= 1
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Widespread in the western Indo-Pacific, from southern Japan down to the Australian Great Barrier Reef. It is an obligate inhabitant of hard coral colonies (especially Acropora), where it lives permanently wedged between the branches.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Yellow Clown Goby. Tiny (max 4 cm / 1.5 inches) and compact, devoid of visible scales. It is equipped with pelvic fins fused to form a small sucker, which allows it to "sit" firmly on corals even in the presence of strong currents.
Social Behavior: Funny, static and. It almost never "swims" in the classic sense of the term, but hops from branch to branch within its host coral. Very territorial towards conspecifics (it is recommended to introduce only one specimen or an established pair).
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Entirely and brilliantly uniform lemon yellow (sometimes with a very slight white tinge on the cheek). This gaudy (aposematic) coloration warns predators of the toxicity of its skin mucus. Sexual dimorphism visually absent.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Aquarium Setup: Perfect for nano-reefs (even 30 liters / 8 gallons). ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT: presence of branching SPS corals (Acropora, Montipora digitata, Pocillopora) or, failing that, soft tree corals (Sinularia, Kenya Tree) which it will use as its exclusive home.
Diet and Feeding: Micro-carnivore. Despite being tiny, it is voracious. Often ignores dry food; requires live brine shrimp nauplii, lobster eggs, cyclops and finely chopped mysis, administered in suspension near its coral.
Water Quality: Standard marine parameters: salinity 1.023-1.025, temperature 24-27°C (75-81°F). Being obliged to live in contact with demanding corals (SPS), the water quality must be excellent, with nitrates and phosphates close to zero.
Compatibility and Cohabitation: Reef Caution: to clean an area to lay eggs or simply annoyed, it will bite and strip the tissue of Acropora branches, killing small portions. Ignored by large fish thanks to toxic mucus, but perfect with peaceful tankmates.
Aquarium Breeding: Possible in captivity. They are bi-directional protogynous hermaphrodites (they can change sex in both directions depending on the needs of the pair). They lay circular bands of eggs on coral branches (after having grazed away the polyps).
Risks and Diseases: Extreme sensitivity to copper-based drugs (not having protective scales). The main risk is wasting from starvation in overcrowded tanks with fast eaters who steal their food from the water column.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Widespread in the western Indo-Pacific, from southern Japan down to the Australian Great Barrier Reef. It is an obligate inhabitant of hard coral colonies (especially Acropora), where it lives permanently wedged between the branches.
Origin
Tropical oceans and reefsEast AsiaAustralia, New Guinea, and Oceania
Fish profile
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- They are famously peaceful and inquisitive. They will closely watch their owners from outside the glass. They only quarrel with other yellow clown gobies.
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Their diet should consist mainly of small meaty items. Frozen mysis, brine shrimp, and copepods are their favorites. Some individuals will learn to eat dry micro-foods over time.
- Life expectancy
- 2-5 years
- In a home aquarium, the Yellow Clown Goby can live for 2 to 5 years when provided with optimal care. Stable marine parameters and a diet rich in small meaty foods are necessary to maintain their health. Minimizing stress from active or aggressive fish also helps extend their captive lifespan.
- Adult size
- 4 cm
- The catalog's scalar value is 4 cm. The FishBase SPECIES table (v25.04 snapshot) source reports a maximum adult measurement of 3.5 cm for this species, recorded as total length (TL). The taxonomic record consulted is Gobiodon okinawae (v25.04); male or unsexed record. These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
- Sex ratio
- Group
- They adapt their gender to form male-female pairs. Adding two juveniles is the best approach to pairing. Males are typically slightly larger and more robust.
- Feeding frequency
- Twice daily
- Feed them 2 to 3 times per day. Small, frequent feedings mirror their natural plankton-picking habits. Turn off flow pumps briefly to help them catch food.
- Bioload
- Medium
- Their bioload is incredibly minimal. They are a staple choice for nano and pico reefs. Standard biological filtration easily neutralizes their waste.
- Flow
- Strong
- They need moderate but not overwhelming flow. They are not strong swimmers and prefer to stay anchored. Ensure there are low-flow pockets where they can rest.
- Jump risk
- No
- Reproduction
- Oviparous
- They are one of the easier marine fish to pair. They will spawn on a designated branch of coral. The fry stage is very tricky to raise successfully.
- Compatibility & tankmates
- Territorial
- A completely peaceful fish ideal for quiet communities. They get along famously with shrimp and peaceful nano fish. They may cause minor tissue damage to SPS corals when nesting.
- Tank level
- Top/Middle
- They hang out in the mid to top sections. They love perching in plain sight on the highest rockwork. They utilize their fused pelvic fins as suction cups.
Scientific Parameters & Models
FishBase
Window to the official scientific data of the species
Data synced on: 06/15/2026
- Trophic level
- 3.2 ± 0.4 se
- Resilience
- High (less than 15 months)
- Phylogenetic uniqueness (PD50)
- 0.5
- Bayesian Length-Weight
- a = 0.01995, b = 3.01
- VulnerabilityLow vulnerability (10 / 100)
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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