Mandarin rhinogobius

Care at a glance

Overview

This is a classic cool-water stream goby, best kept without a heater in a tank with steady current. It is a peaceful, sociable species; keep a small group over gravel, pebbles, and stones with caves, giving territorial males space to hold a stone each, where they flare their fins and show off orange face markings. It stays on the bottom and feeds as a small predator, so offer frozen and live foods such as bloodworm and brine plus small sinking foods, and do not expect it to eat much dry flake. Give it calm companions that also tolerate cool water. A 54 liter tank with good flow and clean water suits a group.

In the wild

In the wild it lives in temperate streams across East Asia, from Japan and Taiwan to Korea, China, and beyond, holding riffles and pools over gravel and stone in cool, clear, flowing water. Recreate that with gentle to moderate flow, a pebble and boulder bed with crevices, and unheated, well-oxygenated water. Keep it cool at about 18 to 24 C and neutral to slightly alkaline, roughly pH 7.0 to 8.0.

Good to know

Rhinogobius brunneus is a member of the family Oxudercidae, first described from Japan in the mid-nineteenth century, with brunneus meaning brown. It reaches about 6 centimeters, and males are patterned with orange lines and spots across the cheeks. The name actually covers a complex of many closely similar forms rather than one tidy species. There is no established aquarium breeding record tied to the wild population, though Rhinogobius in general lay guarded clutches of eggs.

Did you know

Brunneus is less a single species than a swarm of look-alikes. Japan alone holds more than ten color forms and Taiwan at least eight, differing stream by stream, so hobbyists often track them by their river of origin.

Tank mates

Mandarin rhinogobius is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.

• Elongate moth catfish

  Hara horai

  Freshwater

  3.1 in (8 cm)14 gal (54 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
• Mount Nimba lampeye

  Rhexipanchax nimbaensis

  Freshwater

  1.8 in (4.5 cm)14 gal (54 L)68–75°F (20–24°C)
• Filament moth catfish

  Hara filamentosa

  Freshwater

  2.4 in (6 cm)14 gal (54 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)

• 

  Infrafasciatus killifish

  Epiplatys infrafasciatus

  Freshwater

  2.4 in (6 cm)14 gal (54 L)68–77°F (20–25°C)

• 

  Crescent gambusia

  Gambusia hurtadoi

  Freshwater

  2 in (5 cm)14 gal (54 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
• Guinean panchax

  Epiplatys guineensis

  Freshwater

  2.8 in (7 cm)14 gal (54 L)68–77°F (20–25°C)

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

Related species

• Chinese red ninja goby

  Rhinogobius shennongensis

  Freshwater

  2.4 in (6 cm)14 gal (54 L)61–73°F (16–23°C)
• Chiangmai stream goby

  Rhinogobius chiengmaiensis

  Freshwater

  2 in (5 cm)14 gal (54 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
• Yellow fin rhinogobius

  Rhinogobius leavelli

  Freshwater

  3.1 in (8 cm)14 gal (54 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)
• Caledonian red nose goby

  Lentipes kaaea

  Freshwater

  2.4 in (6 cm)14 gal (54 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
• Red lip goby

  Sicyopus exallisquamulus

  Freshwater

  2.4 in (6 cm)14 gal (54 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  African algae-eating goby

  Parasicydium bandama

  Freshwater

  2.2 in (5.5 cm)14 gal (54 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)