TankBud

Diamond sleeper goby

Valenciennea puellaris

Also known as Diamond Watchman Goby, Maiden Goby, Orange-Spotted Sleeper Goby

SaltwaterFish

Diamond sleeper goby (Valenciennea puellaris)
No machine-readable author provided. Normann Z assumed (based on copyright claims). · Public domain

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
55 gal
208 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Very common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Gobiidae
Origin
Indo-Pacific coral reef lagoons

Overview

A peaceful, reef-safe fish that works constantly through the sand bed without bothering corals or other tankmates, though it can squabble with other gobies unless kept as a mated pair. In a tank too small or too new to support enough sand fauna, it needs regular target feeding of mysis or finely chopped shrimp placed near its burrow. Best kept with calm fish that will not out-compete it for food at the bottom.

In the wild

Spends nearly all its time on the substrate, taking mouthfuls of sand and sifting them through its gills in a steady search for food. Needs a mature tank with several inches of fine sand covering as much floor space as possible, since it depends on the worms, copepods, and other tiny creatures living in that sand to survive. Only add this goby to a tank that has been running for several months, and keep the lid tight since it jumps.

Good to know

This species pairs up as adults and digs a shallow burrow together under a piece of rubble, where the female lays eggs on the burrow ceiling. The male stands guard over the eggs for three to five days, sealing the entrance at night as they near hatching and reopening it to release the fry. In good conditions a Diamond Sleeper Goby can live 5 to 8 years.

Did you know

This goby processes an enormous amount of sand every day, drawing it in through its mouth, filtering out anything edible, and blowing the clean grains back out through its gills, in effect running its own sand filter around the clock.

Common questions

What size tank does a Diamond sleeper goby need?

A Diamond sleeper goby needs at least 55 gal (208 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Diamond sleeper goby need?

A Diamond sleeper goby is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

How big does a Diamond sleeper goby get?

An adult Diamond sleeper goby reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

Related species