TankBud

Marbled goby

Oxyeleotris marmorata

FreshwaterBrackishFish

Marbled goby (Oxyeleotris marmorata)
(c) Abu Hamas, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
23.6 in
60 cm
Minimum tank
145 gal
550 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Substrate spawner
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Butidae
Origin
Southeast Asia

Overview

The marbled goby is a big, slow-moving ambush predator for a very large tank. It suits a keeper with some experience and plenty of room.

Did you know

The marbled goby is a sit-and-wait hunter. It can rest almost motionless on the bottom for long stretches, its mottled pattern blending into the substrate. Then it lunges to engulf a passing fish or shrimp in a single gulp.

Caring for the marbled goby

A marbled goby needs a tank of at least 145 gal (550 L) with a big footprint, since it can reach a very large size. Give it a dim, quiet tank with large, shaded caves, driftwood and a soft floor. It spends the day resting on the bottom, well camouflaged, and hunts at dusk.

Keep the water warm and steady, at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5, with gentle flow. It can live in freshwater or brackish water. As a large fish it produces a lot of waste, so run strong biological filtration and make regular water changes.

Feed meaty foods such as whole frozen fish, prawns, earthworms and other large frozen or live items. It will not take flake.

The marbled goby is aggressive and best kept on its own. It will swallow any fish or shrimp small enough to fit in its wide mouth. Do not house it with anything it could eat, or with other large, pushy fish that would fight it for space.

Spawning pairs lay large numbers of adhesive eggs on a firm surface, and the male guards them. This happens at a scale suited to ponds rather than tanks, and home aquarium breeding is not recorded.

Good to know

The marbled goby, Oxyeleotris marmorata, belongs to the family Butidae and is one of the largest of all gobioid fishes. It can weigh several kilograms. As a sleeper goby, its pelvic fins are separate rather than fused into the sucker seen in true gobies. In its home range it is a valued food and aquaculture fish, known by names such as soon hock.

In the wild

The marbled goby is native to Southeast Asia, through the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins and across Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. It lives in slow rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs, and it moves into brackish estuaries as well. It favors warm water that is still or slow moving.

Common questions

What size tank does a marbled goby need?

A marbled goby needs at least 145 gal (550 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a marbled goby need?

A marbled goby is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a marbled goby eat?

A marbled goby eats meaty foods, such as whole frozen fish, prawns, earthworms and other large frozen or live items. It will not take flake.

How big does a marbled goby get?

An adult marbled goby reaches about 23.6 in (60 cm).

How does a marbled goby breed?

Marbled goby pairs lay large numbers of adhesive eggs on a firm surface, and the male guards them. Spawning suits ponds rather than tanks, and breeding in a home aquarium is not recorded.

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