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Candy stripe goby

Awaous flavus

Also known as Flavus sand goby

FreshwaterFish

Candy stripe goby (Awaous flavus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
6.5–7.8
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Oxudercidae
Origin
Northern South American coastal rivers

Overview

The candy stripe goby is a big sand-sifting goby that spends its day mouthing the substrate for food, much like a small eartheater. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The candy stripe goby feeds by taking mouthfuls of sand and sorting out edible particles, detritus and invertebrates inside its mouth. The clean grit falls back out through its gills, so a fine sand bed is its working tool rather than decoration.

Caring for the candy stripe goby

The candy stripe goby grows to about 3.9 in (10 cm) and stays busy. Give it at least 29 gal (110 L) with a long, open sand bed. The bed should be deep, soft and fine, so the goby can sift it without scratching itself. Add some smooth wood or rock for structure, and keep the flow gentle to moderate.

Keep the water warm at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and close to neutral, with a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Feed sinking foods, frozen bloodworm and small meaty items that reach the floor.

It is mostly peaceful and social, though males can be territorial over a chosen patch. Keep a single fish or a small, well-spread group, and give it plenty of floor space. Choose calm mid-water tank mates that will not beat it to a meal.

The candy stripe goby is amphidromous. It breeds in fresh water, and the larvae drift out to sea to develop. There is no reliable record of it spawning in aquariums.

Good to know

Awaous flavus is a member of the family Oxudercidae and one of the larger gobies kept from fresh water. The name flavus means yellow or golden and refers to its warm body tone and stripes. It is also known as the flavus sand goby.

In the wild

The candy stripe goby works the sandy and muddy beds of coastal rivers along the Atlantic side of northern South America. It ranges from Venezuela and the Guianas to Brazil, in fresh and very lightly brackish lower reaches. The water is warm and the bottom is soft and open.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The candy stripe 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 candy stripe goby need?

A candy stripe goby needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a candy stripe goby need?

A candy stripe goby is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.

What does a candy stripe goby eat?

A candy stripe goby sifts the sand for food and takes sinking foods, frozen bloodworm and small meaty items that reach the floor.

How big does a candy stripe goby get?

An adult candy stripe goby reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

How does a candy stripe goby breed?

The candy stripe goby is amphidromous, breeding in fresh water while its larvae drift out to sea. There is no reliable record of it spawning in aquariums.

Related species