Dragon Sleeper Goby

Care at a glance

Overview

Peaceful and reef safe in the sense that it ignores corals, but like all sand sifters it deposits sand on clams or corals placed low in the tank, so it earns caution in a reef. It also helps aerate the sand and can clear cyanobacteria films. Keep just one unless you have a confirmed pair. It is a strong jumper, so a covered tank is a must. Feeds readily on frozen mysis and other meaty preparations.

In the wild

Ranges across the western and central Pacific over sandy and rubble bottoms beside reef, where it hovers just above the sand and darts into a burrow when threatened. In the aquarium an open sand bed matters more than heavy rock, because it feeds by sifting mouthfuls of substrate. It uses a burrow under a rock as a home and retreat.

Good to know

A Gobiidae sand-sifting goby in the genus Amblygobius, marked with dark vertical bars. It is a pair-forming burrower and is now regularly captive-bred. Compared with Valenciennea sleepers it is far more willing to accept standard frozen and prepared foods, which makes it a much more survivable sand sifter.

Did you know

Unlike the touchy Valenciennea sleepers that often starve, the dragon sleeper goby usually learns to take prepared food, making it one of the few sand-sifting gobies you can keep long term without a constantly replenished live sand bed.

Related species

• 

  Diamond Sleeper Goby

  Valenciennea puellaris

  5.9 in (15 cm)55 gal (208 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Golden Head Sleeper Goby

  Valenciennea strigata

  5.9 in (15 cm)53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Sixspot Sleeper Goby

  Valenciennea sexguttata

  5.5 in (14 cm)40 gal (150 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Orange-Spot Prawn Goby

  Amblyeleotris guttata

  4.3 in (11 cm)30 gal (114 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Pinkbar Goby

  Amblyeleotris aurora

  4.3 in (11 cm)30 gal (115 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Pink-Spotted Watchman Goby

  Cryptocentrus leptocephalus

  3.9 in (10 cm)30 gal (115 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)