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Elegant lentipes goby

Lentipes venustus

Also known as Venustus goby

FreshwaterFish

Elegant lentipes goby (Lentipes venustus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
6.5–7.8
Adult size
1.8 in
4.5 cm
Minimum tank
14 gal
54 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Oxudercidae
Origin
New Guinea streams

Overview

The elegant lentipes goby is a small, brightly marked climbing goby for a fast, clean stream tank. It is for experienced keepers only.

Did you know

The elegant lentipes goby's name borrows the adjective the Romans reserved for Venus. Venustus means charming or lovely.

Caring for the elegant lentipes goby

Keep a small group of elegant lentipes gobies in at least 14 gal (54 L), with strong flow and high oxygen. Lay out cobbles, smooth boulders and gravel, and let film build on the rockwork. Keep the water very clean, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.8.

It grazes biofilm and hunts tiny invertebrates in the current near the floor. Offer small frozen and live foods such as cyclops, baby brine shrimp and finely chopped bloodworm.

The elegant lentipes goby is peaceful and enjoys company. Give displaying males room to hold territory, so disputes stay to harmless flaring. Keep only calm, current-loving tank mates that cannot out-compete it. It is amphidromous, with marine larvae, and there is no established record of aquarium breeding.

Good to know

Lentipes venustus is a sicydiine goby in the family Oxudercidae, described by Allen in 2004. Displaying males show lavender and flame tones, the colors behind the name venustus. Its tiny range leaves it localized and seldom seen.

In the wild

The elegant lentipes goby lives in cool, clear, fast-flowing mountain streams on the D'Entrecasteaux Islands, off the eastern tip of New Guinea. It clings to rock with its pelvic sucker, at elevations from about 100 to 600 meters.

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Tank mates

The elegant lentipes goby is a 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 an elegant lentipes goby need?

An elegant lentipes goby needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an elegant lentipes goby need?

An elegant lentipes goby is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.

What does an elegant lentipes goby eat?

An elegant lentipes goby grazes biofilm and hunts tiny invertebrates near the floor. Offer it small frozen and live foods such as cyclops, baby brine shrimp and finely chopped bloodworm.

How big does an elegant lentipes goby get?

An adult elegant lentipes goby reaches about 1.8 in (4.5 cm).

How does an elegant lentipes goby breed?

The elegant lentipes goby is amphidromous, and its larvae develop in the sea. There is no established record of it breeding in aquariums.

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