Decorated Goby

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Indo-West Pacific: Ryukyu Islands to the southern Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, and Tonga. Inhabits sandy slopes near reefs from 2 to 30 meters deep.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Gobiidae. Elongated body with a large mouth adapted for sifting sand. Reaches a maximum length of 12.0 cm.

Social Behavior: Peaceful and busy. Usually found in monogamous pairs. Excavates deep burrows under rocks where they retreat at night and when threatened.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Whitish-grey body adorned with orange longitudinal stripes and bright blue spots on the cheeks and head. Males may have slightly longer dorsal rays.

Aquarium Setup: Requires a tank of at least 120 liters with a deep, mature sand bed (at least 5-8 cm). Rocks must be secure as they will dig underneath. A tight-fitting lid is essential.

Diet and Feeding: Carnivorous sand-sifter. Constantly filters sand for microfauna. Supplement with frequent feedings of frozen mysis, artemia, and sinking pellets near the substrate.

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: Peaceful with other fish. Do not house with aggressive bottom-dwelling species or large predators.

Aquarium Breeding: Lays eggs inside their burrow. The pair guards the nest. Raising the planktonic larvae is extremely difficult.

Risks and Diseases: Starvation in tanks with sterile sand beds. Highly prone to jumping when startled.