Link's Goby

Amblygobius linki

Also known as Linki Goby, Link's Sleeper Goby

SaltwaterFish

Link's Goby (Amblygobius linki) — Biota · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 2.8 in (7 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Reef safe: Reef safe with caution
Origin: Western Pacific, Ryukyu Islands to the Philippines and New Guinea
Family: Gobiidae

Overview

Link's gobies are peaceful and reef safe apart from the light sand showers any sifter can drop near low-placed corals. They pick at hair algae as well as sifting, form pairs readily, and need a tight lid because they jump when startled.

In the wild

A western Pacific fish recorded from the Ryukyu Islands, the Philippines, and New Guinea, with an unusual taste in real estate. It lives on silty mud flats among mangrove roots, in stream mouths, and even in saline lakes, working the bottom in the top few meters of water.

Good to know

Amblygobius linki was described by Albert Herre in 1927 and reaches about 7 cm, striped nose to tail in black and white, with mature fish adding small red spots on the dorsal fin. It is a gentler sand sifter than its larger cousin the dragon sleeper goby and grazes algae as it goes.

Did you know

Keepers value it as a frag groomer. A Link's goby will pull soft strands of hair algae off new coral frags before the algae has a chance to take hold.