TankBud

Blue neon dwarf goby

Stiphodon atropurpureus

Also known as Blue neon goby, Cobalt goby, Sumatran cling goby

FreshwaterFish

Blue neon dwarf goby (Stiphodon atropurpureus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Common
Family
Gobiidae
Origin
Found across parts of East and Southeast Asia including southern China, Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines, in clear, fast-flowing coastal streams over rock and gravel.

Overview

The blue neon dwarf goby is a stream goby for a mature freshwater tank with strong flow. It is for experienced keepers.

Did you know

Blue neon dwarf gobies cling to stones and hop across them, using a fused pelvic sucker.

Caring for the blue neon dwarf goby

Give blue neon dwarf gobies a mature, established tank of 20 gal (75 L) or more. It needs strong flow, high turnover and lots of oxygen. Add bright light to grow algae, smooth rocks and sand, and a tight lid, since they can climb. The tank must already have a good film of green algae and biofilm before they go in.

Keep the water at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C) with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. Food is the main challenge, because it eats algae film and biofilm and can slowly starve in a spotless tank. Supplement natural grazing with algae wafers, blanched vegetables and occasional frozen foods.

It is mostly peaceful, though males squabble over grazing spots. Keep more females than males, and only very calm tank mates. Males show an electric blue stripe over a dark body, while females are plainer, with a pale striped pattern.

The blue neon dwarf goby is amphidromous. Adults live and breed in fresh water, while the hatched larvae drift to the sea and later return upstream as juveniles. Because the larvae need the sea to develop, it is essentially not bred in home aquariums.

Good to know

Stiphodon atropurpureus is a goby in the family Gobiidae. Its subterminal mouth is built for scraping aufwuchs off rock surfaces. Almost all blue neon dwarf gobies in the hobby are wild collected. It is also known as the blue neon goby or cobalt goby.

In the wild

Blue neon dwarf gobies are found across parts of East and Southeast Asia, including southern China, Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines. They graze the film of algae and micro life that coats sunlit rocks in fast, clear coastal streams.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The blue neon dwarf goby is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a blue neon dwarf goby need?

A blue neon dwarf goby needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a blue neon dwarf goby need?

A blue neon dwarf goby is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.

What does a blue neon dwarf goby eat?

A blue neon dwarf goby grazes algae film and biofilm, and it can slowly starve in a spotless tank. Supplement its grazing with algae wafers, blanched vegetables and occasional frozen foods.

How big does a blue neon dwarf goby get?

An adult blue neon dwarf goby reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

How can you tell a male blue neon dwarf goby from a female?

Males show an electric blue stripe over a dark body. Females are plainer, with a pale striped pattern.

How does a blue neon dwarf goby breed?

The blue neon dwarf goby is amphidromous, so adults breed in fresh water while the hatched larvae drift to the sea. The larvae need the sea to develop, so it is essentially not bred in home aquariums.

Related species