Care Level: Relatively easy Adult Size: 2.0in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indonesia and the Philippines Temperament/Behaviour: Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Angels, Cardinalfish, and Surgeonfish. Diet: Meaty foods, including fresh or frozen mysid shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped table shrimp, and frozen preparations for carnivores.
Tank Size For Adult: 20gal (76l) Narrative: Excellent for the reef aquarium. This delightful little fish makes a wonderful addition to the passive community tank. Adults live in pairs and hover several inches from the entrance of the burrow. Ideally, the aquarist should try to acquire a mated pair, along with its symbiotic shrimp, Alpheus randalli. Not aggressive toward other bottom-orientated fishes, except at feeding time, and often dominated by more pugnacious species. They might not get enough to eat of kept with overly aggressive or larger tankmates. Individuals of the same sex will fight, especially two males in a smaller aquarium (under 55gal[208l]). Sometimes they will bite other fish species and hold on tenaciously. If startled, they will occasionally bury under the sand.
Care Level: Relatively easy Adult Size: 2.0in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Eastern Indian Ocean and Western Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Angels, Cardinalfish, and Surgeonfish. Diet: Meaty foods, including fresh or frozen mysid shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped table shrimp, and frozen preparations for carnivores.
Tank Size For Adult: 30gal (114l) Narrative: Excellent for the reef aquarium. Although not readily available, this fish is a marvellous addition to the passive community tank. Adults live in pairs and hover several inches from the entrance to the burrow. Not aggressive toward other bottom-orientated fishes, except at feeding time, and often dominated by more pugnacious species. Should be housed with other peaceful species. Can be kept in pairs, but individuals of the same sex will fight, especially two males in a smaller aquarium (under 55 gal [208l]). Provide a bed of sand and coral rubble where they can burrow and hide. Have been known to jump out of an open tank when frightened.
Common Names: Orangespotted Sleeper Goby (Maiden Goby)
Care Level: Difficult
Adult Size: 5.5in
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3
Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C
Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026
Origin/Habitat: Indo-west-Pacific
Temperament/Behaviour: Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Angels, Cardinalfish, and Surgeonfish.
Diet: Difficult to feed. Meaty foods, including small crustaceans like vitamin-enriched live and frozen brine shrimp and mysid shrimp, live black worms, as well as prepared foods for carnivores..
Tank Size For Adult: 55gak (208l)
Narrative: Excellent for the reef aquarium. Will smaller bristleworms and also desirable infaunal invertebrates in live sand. The sleeper gobies are sometimes employed as working fishes in reef tanks with substrate because their feeding activities take them deeper into the sand bed that many other gobies. Unfortunately, they are difficult to keep-many slowly starve to death. To improve the chances of success, keep them in a tank with live sand and a well-established refugium; be sure they are well fed. Deworming may help. Can be kept in male-female pairs (especially in a smaller tank); otherwise they may quarrel with each other and with other sleeper gobies. This species’ colour varied over its range.
Compatible Tank mates: Angels, Cardinalfish, and Surgeonfish.
Diet: Difficult to feed. Meaty foods, including small crustaceans like vitamin-enriched live and frozen brine shrimp and mysid shrimp, live black worms, as well as prepared foods for carnivores.
Tank Size For Adult: 55gal (208l)
Narrative: Excellent for the reef aquarium. Will eat smaller bristleworms and also desirable infaunal invertebrates in live sand. The sleeper gobies are sometimes employed as working fishes in reef tanks with substrate because their feeding activities take them deeper into the sand bed that many other gobies. Unfortunately, they are difficult to keep-many slowly starve to death. To improve the chances of success, keep them in a tank with live sand and a well-established refugium; be sure they are well fed. Deworming may help. Can be kept in male-female pairs (especially in a smaller tank); otherwise they may quarrel with each other and with other sleeper gobies.
Care Level: Moderately difficult Adult Size: 5.9in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Eastern Indian Ocean, Western pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Angels, Cardinalfish, and Surgeonfish. Diet: Difficult to feed. Meaty foods, including small crustaceans like vitamin-enriched live and frozen brine shrimp and mysid shrimp, live black worms, as well as prepared foods for carnivores.
Tank Size For Adult: 55gal (208l) Narrative: Excellent for the reef aquarium. Will eat smaller bristleworms and also desirable infaunal invertebrates in live sand. The sleeper gobies are sometimes employed as working fishes in reef tanks with substrate because their feeding activities take them deeper into the sand bed that many other gobies. Not as difficult to maintain as other sleeper goby species. To improve the chances of success, keep them in a tank with live sand and a well-established refugium; be sure they are well fed. Deworming may help. Can be kept in male-female pairs (especially in a smaller tank); otherwise they may quarrel with each other and with other sleeper gobies.
Care Level: Moderately difficult Adult Size: 5.5in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Eastern Indian Ocean, Western pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Angels, Cardinalfish, and Surgeonfish. Diet: Difficult to feed. Meaty foods, including small crustaceans like vitamin-enriched live and frozen brine shrimp and mysid shrimp, live black worms, as well as prepared foods for carnivores.
Tank Size For Adult: 55gal (208l) Narrative: Excellent for the reef aquarium. Will eat smaller bristleworms and also desirable infaunal invertebrates in live sand. The sleeper gobies are sometimes employed as working fishes in reef tanks with substrate because their feeding activities take them deeper into the sand bed that many other gobies. Not as difficult to maintain as other sleeper goby species. To improve the chances of success, keep them in a tank with live sand and a well-established refugium; be sure they are well fed. Deworming may help. Can be kept in male-female pairs (especially in a smaller tank); otherwise they may quarrel with each other and with other sleeper gobies.
Common Names: Yellowheaded Sleeper Goby (Bluecheek Sleeper Goby, Blueband Goby)
Care Level: Moderately difficult Adult Size: 7.1in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific; east Africa to the Tuamotus Temperament/Behaviour: Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Angels, Cardinalfish, and Surgeonfish. Diet: Difficult to feed. Meaty foods, including small crustaceans like vitamin-enriched live and frozen brine shrimp and mysid shrimp, live black worms, as well as prepared foods for carnivores.
Tank Size For Adult: 55gal (208l) Narrative: Excellent for the reef aquarium. Will eat smaller bristleworms and also desirable infaunal invertebrates in live sand. The sleeper gobies are sometimes employed as working fishes in reef tanks with substrate because their feeding activities take them deeper into the sand bed that many other gobies. Not as difficult to maintain as other sleeper goby species. To improve the chances of success, keep them in a tank with live sand and a well-established refugium; be sure they are well fed. Deworming may help. Can be kept in male-female pairs (especially in a smaller tank); otherwise they may quarrel with each other and with other sleeper gobies.
Common Names: Purple Firefish (Purple Dartfish, Decorated Dartfish, Elegant Firefish)
Care Level: Easy Adult Size: 3.5in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-west-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Aggressive
Compatible Tank mates: Angels, Cardinalfish, and Surgeonfish. Diet: Meaty foods, including finely chopped or shaved fresh or frozen seafood, frozen preparations for carnivores, frozen and live brine shrimp, and mysid shrimp. A planktivores, it feeds mostly on prey suspended in the water column, but will pick food off the substrate on occasion.
Tank Size For Adult: 30gal (114l) Narrative: Excellent for the reef aquarium. A gorgeous, hovering fish that is disease-resistant and readily acclimates to the home aquarium. Provide plenty of hiding places; an aquarium bottom covered with loose coral rubble is ideal. The most aggressive of firefishes, it should be housed singly or in male-female pairs. More-pugnacious fishes will cause it to hide constantly and starve to death. Colours may fade if not provided with an enriched, varied diet. Will jump through small openings.
Common Names: Fire goby (Firefish, Fire Dartfish, Magnificent Dartfish)
Care Level: Easy Adult Size: 3.1in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Angels, Cardinalfish, and Surgeonfish. Diet: Meaty foods, including finely chopped or shaved fresh or frozen seafood, frozen preparations for carnivores, frozen and live brine shrimp, and mysid shrimp. A planktivores, it feeds mostly on prey suspended in the water column, but will pick food off the substrate on occasion.
Tank Size For Adult: 30gal (114l) Narrative: Excellent for the reef aquarium. A lovely but timid species that should be housed with other passive fishes. If housed with aggressive tankmates, it will hide and not feed. Keep singly, unless the tank is very large or a male-female pair is obtained. If kept in groups, one individual will usually start chasing the others, often until it kills them all. Provide coral rubble as suitable hiding places. Prone to leaping from shipping bags and open aquariums. Colours may fade if it is not provided with a varied diet.
Common Names: Zebra Dart Goby (Zebra Dartfish, Barred Dartfish, Bar Goby, Chinese Zebra Goby)
Care Level: Relatively Easy Adult Size: 4.3in pH Range: 8.1 – 8.3 Temperature Range: (F/C) 77-79F/25-26C Specific Gravity/Hardness Range: 1.023-1.026 Origin/Habitat: Indo-west-Pacific Temperament/Behaviour: Peaceful
Compatible Tank mates: Dart gobies, Mandarin Dragonets, peaceful angelfishes. Diet: Meaty foods, including finely chopped or shaved fresh or frozen seafood, frozen preparations for carnivores, frozen and live brine shrimp, and mysid shrimp. A planktivores, it feeds mostly on prey suspended in the water column, but will pick food off the substrate on occasion.
Tank Size For Adult: 30gal (114l) Narrative: Excellent for the reef aquarium. One of the most peaceful aquarium fishes, delicately attractive and highly-disease resistant. Must have less-aggressive tankmates, such as other dart gobies, and numerous places to hide, including a sand covered tank bottom. It will bury in finer sand substrates at night or when threatened. Best kept in pairs or small groups. It will often hide for a week or two, but once acclimated, will swim freely around the tank. Prone to jumping from small openings. Has spawned in captivity, laying eggs in its burrow or cave that are tended by the female.
