Palauan Riffle Dwarf Goby
Stiphodon pelewensis
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 4.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 54 litres
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C
Species profile
Marbled Sleeper Goby
Oxyeleotris marmorata
Common names: Marbled Sleeper Goby, Marble Goby, Marbled Sleeper, Marble Sleeper
Recognized speciesGobies
Adult size
Up to 65 cm
Up to 65 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- A keeper with room for a large aquarium
Think carefully if
- You keep smaller fish, which it may eat
- You cannot provide about 540 litres for a fully grown fish
- You keep shrimp you want to protect
One of the largest gobies in the world, at about 65 cm, and an ambush predator. Keep alone or in a small group in 540 litres or more.
Appearance and Identification
One of the largest gobies in the world, at about 65 cm, and an ambush predator. It is only for enthusiasts with room for a very large tank, and it will eat anything it can swallow.
Check the scientific name when buying, as common names vary between sellers and countries.
Sexes are usually hard to tell apart.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 2,160–2,700 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 550–800 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 540 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 150 cm
- Minimum group size
- 1
- Recommended group size
- 1
- Activity level
- Moderate
- Flow preference
- Low to moderate
- Planting preference
- Moderately planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Moderate
Allow plenty of room, use a very secure lid and fit strong filtration. Predators produce a lot of waste, and many are strong jumpers.
Behaviour and Tankmates
A predator that spends much of its time watching and waiting for prey.
Usually best alone, or in a very large tank with others of its size.
Many are intolerant of their own kind.
It will eat any fish that fits in its mouth, so keep it with fish too big to swallow, or alone. It is likely to eat shrimp. Choose its tankmates with care.
Water Parameters
Keep the pH steady, because this fish is sensitive to swings.
Parameter caveat
Keep up regular water changes, and acclimatise new fish slowly.
Feeding
- Diet types
- Carnivore, Predator
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Quality carnivore pelletsWorth training it onto these, as they are balanced and clean.
- Frozen prawn, mussel and fishUse a variety. Avoid a diet of feeder fish, which can bring in disease.
- EarthwormsA good food, and most predators take them readily.
A large ambush predator that eats fish and crustaceans. Offer frozen fish, prawns and earthworms.
Feed small amounts, and remove anything left after a few minutes.
Breeding
- Breeding difficulty
- Not commonly bred
- Parental care
- Unknown
Little has been recorded about breeding this fish in aquariums.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Vietnam
- Natural habitat
- Brackish Water, Pond, River, Swamp
- Aquarium contexts
- Large Freshwater Aquarium, Planted Aquarium
- Audience level
- Specialist
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Oxyeleotris
- Family
- Butidae
- Species group
- Fish, Gobies
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Rainbow Stiphodon Goby
Stiphodon ornatus
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 7 cm
- Minimum tank
- 72 litres
- Temperature
- 20–28 °C
Red Belted Goby
Sicyopus zosterophorus
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 4.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 54 litres
- Temperature
- 22–26 °C
Red Lipstick Goby
Sicyopus exallisquamulus
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 5.2 cm
- Minimum tank
- 54 litres
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C