Hector's Goby

Koumansetta hectori

Also known as Amblygobius hectori, Hector's Hover Goby, Yellow-Lined Goby

SaltwaterFish

Hector's Goby (Koumansetta hectori) — Rickard Zerpe · CC BY 2.0

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: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Common
Reef safe: Reef safe
Origin: Found in the western Pacific from Indonesia and the Philippines to the Great Barrier Reef, over rubble and sand near reefs.
Family: Gobiidae

Overview

A 75 litre or larger reef tank with mature live rock and a sand bed suits it, kept at 23 to 27 C and pH 8.1 to 8.4. It is reef safe and helps graze hair algae and sift the sand. Feed a mix of small meaty foods and algae, such as mysis, enriched brine, and pods. It is peaceful with other fish but can be territorial toward other small gobies and dartfish in a tight tank.

In the wild

Hector's goby is a slim, active goby marked with yellow lines along a dark body and a bright eyespot on the dorsal fin. It hovers just off the bottom near rock and rubble, sifting sand and grazing algae. It sticks close to a crevice it can dart into for cover. It works the sand and rock all day looking for food.

Good to know

Koumansetta hectori is a goby in the family Gobiidae and was for a long time placed in the genus Amblygobius. The dorsal eyespot is thought to draw a predator's strike toward the tail rather than the head. It sifts mouthfuls of sand to extract algae and tiny animals.