Blue hana goby
Ptereleotris hanae
Also known as Filamented Dartfish, Lyretail Dartfish, Blue Hana Dartfish, Filamented Gudgeon Goby
SaltwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- 23–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 4.7 in
- 12 cm
- Minimum tank
- 40 gal
- 150 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Ptereleotridae
- Origin
- Native to the western Pacific from Japan south through Indonesia, hovering over sand near reef bases and burrows.
Overview
The blue hana goby is a peaceful dartfish that hovers in the open water of a reef tank. It is easy to keep.
Did you know
The blue hana goby's long tail filaments flutter as it hovers. They are where its other name, filamented dartfish, comes from.
Caring for the blue hana goby
Give the blue hana goby a reef tank of 40 gal (150 L) or more, with sand and rock. Fit a very tight lid, since dartfish are champion jumpers. It is an active swimmer and likes some current.
Keep the water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It eats zooplankton, so feed mysis, enriched brine shrimp and pods.
The blue hana goby is peaceful and reef safe, though shy at first. Keep it singly, or keep a small group in a larger tank with enough burrow sites.
Good to know
Ptereleotris hanae is a dartfish in the family Ptereleotridae. It is pale blue, with iridescent blue face markings and long trailing filaments on the tail. These caudal filaments, usually two to six of them, are a distinctive feature of the species. Like other dartfish, it shelters in a sand burrow that it may share with a partner.
In the wild
The blue hana goby is native to the western Pacific, from Japan south through Indonesia. It hovers over sand near the base of the reef, just above its burrow. There it snaps at plankton and drops into the burrow when startled.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The blue hana goby is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Cinnamon clownfish
Amphiprion melanopus
Saltwater4.7 in (12 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Clark's clownfish
Amphiprion clarkii
Saltwater5.5 in (14 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Yellow watchman goby
Cryptocentrus cinctus
Saltwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Fire shrimp
Lysmata debelius
Saltwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Tiger / strawberry conch
Conomurex luhuanus
Saltwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Skilletfish
Gobiesox strumosus
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (76 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a blue hana goby need?
A blue hana goby needs at least 40 gal (150 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a blue hana goby need?
A blue hana goby is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a blue hana goby eat?
A blue hana goby eats zooplankton. In the tank, feed it mysis, enriched brine shrimp and pods.
How big does a blue hana goby get?
An adult blue hana goby reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).
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