TankBud

Buan's sleeper goby

Amblygobius buanensis

Also known as Buan Goby, Buan's Sleeper Sand Goby, Buan Nano Sand Goby, Buan Silt Goby

SaltwaterFish

Buan's sleeper goby (Amblygobius buanensis)
Biota · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
3.1 in
8 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Gobiidae
Origin
Western Pacific, Philippines

Overview

The Buan's sleeper goby is a small, sand-sifting goby for a reef tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The Buan's sleeper goby was captive-bred for the first time in 2022 at Biota. Every one in the hobby is tank raised.

Caring for the Buan's sleeper goby

Give a Buan's sleeper goby a tank of 20 gal (75 L) or more. Keep the water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It does not strictly need sand, since captive-bred fish feed from the water column and graze films off rock.

Keepers report these gobies picking at nuisance cyanobacteria films as they work the bottom. They are reef safe apart from the light sand showers any sifter produces.

Buan's sleeper gobies are peaceful with other fish but can be scrappy with their own kind. Keep one, or an established pair. Breeding them is hard.

Good to know

Amblygobius buanensis was described by Albert Herre in 1927 and takes its name from its Philippine type locality. It is one of the smallest sleeper gobies. Juveniles wear fine black lines that pick up a reddish iridescence as the fish matures.

In the wild

The Buan's sleeper goby comes from shallow sandy and silty bottoms in the Philippines. It hovers low over the substrate and takes mouthfuls of sand to sift for food. It keeps a bolt hole nearby and favors lagoon flats and reef edges over open reef.

Common questions

What size tank does a Buan's sleeper goby need?

A Buan's sleeper goby needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Buan's sleeper goby need?

A Buan's sleeper goby is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a Buan's sleeper goby eat?

A captive-bred Buan's sleeper goby feeds from the water column and grazes films off rock. Keepers report it picking at nuisance cyanobacteria films too.

How big does a Buan's sleeper goby get?

An adult Buan's sleeper goby reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).

Related species