Mud Sleeper Goby

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Tropical Indo-Pacific. Inhabits sheltered lagoons and bays with muddy or sandy bottoms rich in organic detritus down to 25 meters.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Belongs to the family Gobiidae. Reaches about 12 cm. Elongated body, large mouth equipped with small teeth used to scoop sand or mud.

Social Behavior: Peaceful and industrious fish. Spends days continuously sifting the substrate, retaining food and expelling sand through its gills.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Light beige or grayish background coloration with longitudinal yellow or orange stripes and small neon-blue spots on the head. No obvious dimorphism.

Aquarium Setup: Requires a tank of at least 115 liters (30 gallons) with a soft, fine sand bed 5-8 cm (2-3 inches) deep. Avoid sharp sand that damages gills.

Diet and Feeding: Carnivore. Feeds on organisms in the mud. In the aquarium, feed multiple times daily with mysis, brine shrimp, and enriched sinking pellets.

Water Quality: Temperature 22-28°C (72-82°F), pH 8.1-8.4, specific gravity 1.020-1.025. Powerful filtration needed to clear suspended particles raised by sifting.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Reef-safe. Does not touch corals or large invertebrates, but may accidentally cover corals placed on the tank bottom with sand.

Aquarium Breeding: Reproduction is not successfully recorded in home aquariums. They dig underground nests under rocks where eggs are laid.

Risks and Diseases: Jumps easily if startled, covering the aquarium is essential. Risk of starvation and rapid wasting if the sand bed is sterile.